Li Kejie (Youth Daily): The idea is that civil servants wear uniforms during office hours to improve the government's image and to improve staff performance. Based on this logic, uniforms become a reasonable requirement.

During working hours, civil servants deal with government business, so their clothing should reflect the work they are doing. They need to accept this.

The rigid dress code on civil servants during working hours is by no means a violation of individual rights. Moreover, the taxpayers, whom civil servants are supposed to serve, are also concerned with the government's image. Colorful casual clothes during working hours are not fit for the role of civil servants, as it does not engender a sense of confidence from the public and in a way the public has a right to reject unsatisfactory services.

Xu Deguo (Modern Express): To dress appropriately says a lot about a person. Dressing casually in the work environment is unacceptable in today's society, as on formal occasions, people should be mindful of the feelings of others.

To wear a suit during working hours is a common practice in many countries. It will not only give a good impression to the public, but will also help to remind civil servants of their duties. In China, due to the lack of education in dress etiquette, casual clothes are often worn on occasions that demand more formal wear. As China interacts more with the international community, it's important to cultivate a sense of dress among the public. If this is not done, misunderstandings may occur during international communication.

Civil servants can always best reflect the image of a city, so to impose certain requirements on their professional etiquette is quite reasonable and is not a violation of their freedom or privacy. A modern society requires etiquette. Civil servants in particular must take the lead in promoting modern etiquette. If civil servants dress appropriately, not only will it greatly impress the public, but it is also a reflection of a locality's level of development.

Avenue for corruption

Lin Weiping (Huashang Daily): Uniforms for civil servants do provide a favorable impression, but implementing this practice is not without its problems.

First of all, public employees are free to wear what they like and any stipulation to the contrary is a violation of their individual rights. Besides, if all the civil servants across China wear the same style suit, it's going to look boring. Many people prefer casual clothes to suits, complaining the latter is too formal. More importantly, if all civil servants wear suits, it may distance them from the public. In principle, civil servants are supposed to serve the people on behalf of the government, so it's not right that they should appear superior to the public.

Besides, how much will the suits cost? Who will pay for them, the government or the civil servants? Undoubtedly the taxpayers. And what about the potential for corruption with the large costs involved? Most civil servants are of a better class, so they will never stoop to wear ugly uniform suits.

My image of civil servants is that they are there to be responsible and offer excellent services to the people. Work uniforms are not going to have any effect on the work performance of these people.

Lin Jinfang (www.people.com.cn): Everyone has his/her preference about what to wear. Different styles of clothes make the world colorful. As far as the civil servants are concerned, wearing their favorite clothes makes them feel comfortable and up to date.

It's improper for government staff to wear dull clothes during working hours. However, to impose dress restrictions is oppressing their personality, which is not "human" enough and is actually going against "conventional practice."

There should be a bottom line for what civil servants wear during office hours, but whether this will be obeyed depends on the quality of the individual, rather than rigid regulations. Civil servants are different from diplomats, who have to follow all kinds of rigid protocol. Even the Code of Conduct for Civil Servants of China only requires that a civil servant should behave properly and dress decently, but never demands them to wear uniforms.

When proposing that civil servants wear uniforms, one must take into consideration China's basic national conditions. It's unwise to ask civil servants to dress in a way that makes them superior to the rest of the country's population.

Wu Jie (Southland Morning Post): To dress too casually during working hours will affect the overall image of civil servants, but I don't think a good taste in clothing is the most important quality of these workers.

Civil servants are required to watch every cent of the state's money. It is also their duty to offer excellent services to the people. Therefore a sense of responsibility and the sense of serving the people are the most important qualities they should have. Unfortunately, such traits are rarely seen in China's civil servants nowadays. On the contrary, sumptuous banquets, overseas tours and other expensive pursuits at the expense of the public account for 30 percent of China's financial revenues.

Given these problems, the crux of the matter is not about a dress code, but more about how to behave decently. There is no guarantee that this operation to spend large amounts on dressing the country's massive group of officials will become just another loophole for corruption.