A new provision has banned members of China's air force from enjoying a beverage at lunch.

Under the provision that took effect on Monday, air force officers and soldiers may face punishment including demerit, demotion or the sack for drinking alcohol at lunch on working days.

The move aimed to better govern the military according to the law and maintain a good image of the air force with strict measures, an air force source said.

This was the first time for the air force to "formally order" its personnel to stay away from alcohol, the China News Service reported on Monday.

The provision also put harsh restrictions on the driving of vehicles. Officers would be demoted or dismissed, while soldiers were to face demerit if caught driving after drinking.

Their driving licenses would also be revoked, according to the provision.

Officers would be sacked and soldiers would face punishment, including labor reform, if their drunk driving had caused "average accidents," according to the provision.

In China, accidents are categorized into four areas. "Average accidents," or the least severe, refer to those that led to the death of less than three people, or serious injury of 10 people, or direct economic loss of less than 10 million yuan (about 1.46 million U.S. dollars).

Soldiers and officers would also face criminal charges if they caused serious accidents, it said, adding their senior leaders would face possible punishment including a warning or dismissal.

Digital breathalyzers were being installed in sentries and posts at parking lots, aimed at stricter monitoring measures to check alcohol consumption, the military source said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2008)