KUNMING - Twenty officials have been punished in southwest China's Yunnan Province for taking part in a drinking binge at a government reception in which one colleague died from excessive alcohol.

The reception was held on Sept 20 in Eryuan County as officials from Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Dali came to supervise safety work, said the prefecture discipline watchdog.

It said the officials drank alcohol in violation of the regulations.

The deputy head of the prefecture's land and resources department and the county land and resources department head were removed from their posts. Others were warned or received lighter punishments.

Rounds of baijiu (strong Chinese grain alcohol) are common at Chinese receptions as a traditional display of hospitality.

But the phenomenon has been on the wane among officials, notably in the past few years, as alcohol is banned in government receptions in many places.