Ok, well, without wanting to toot my own horn here (oh that I could), this is something of an area of expertise for me.

  Do the Chinese drink more than westerners? In the words of Custer when asked if the Indians knew he was coming, "Do they bollocks." No, the Chinese like a beer as much as the next man, but rarely for breakfast. I think I can safely say that us westerners have cornered the market in terms of world drinkers. The Russians carry much weight in the alcoholic olympics, the Americans, yes, British of course (though the Scots are in a league of their own), and the Irish are truly a force to be reckoned with; but Asia's too hot a place to build up a powerful resistance you see - you dehydrate too quickly - it's your colder climates that produces the real heavy weight, hard core drunks.

  So be not afeared, they may take us in the stadium, but we'll beat 'em at the bar.

I haven't seen any Chinese down a bottle of Jameson, Jimmy McNulty style. Or two for that matter...

Every game of Rugby I ever played had three halves and the third half was always the most important to win.

If that, why westerners are always whining Chinese are heavy drinkers? You guys get together to bitch China for fun!

We're 'alcoholics', not alcoholists!

No, in all seriousness (and I do take my vodka seriously), you're kind of right, we do drink differently. I am generally loath to generalise (regulars; see the lie I just told...) but I'd say westerners tend to drink more out of the enjoyment of the taste than Chinese do. 

I could be wrong, Chinese guys could be saying the equivalents of "oh, you must try this beer from so and so brewery, it's from such and such area, which is developing an amazing reputation and has the perfect balance of flavours...." or discussing the finer points of exactly how much one is permitted to mess with  a nice peaty malt, but I've always seen Chinese drinking as more of a volume thing than a quality thing.

So then you say "yes, but why do you have to drink so much!?" Well, OP, the answer is that it's extremely pleasant to sit over a nice IPA and shoot the breeze while ordering "just one more, just one more...."

Chinese drinking seems to be much more about proving yourself and working within the social rules (gan bei rounds are so much more formalised than the standard, 'cheers' we use).

And baijiu versus vodka: vodka is actually less alcoholic by a significant margin in almost all cases. Also, when you drink vodka, the next morning, it doesn't feel like a skunk has shat in your mouth. Baijiu: NEVER AGAIN!!!

I use wrong word, not whining. it should be 'comment, talk about '.I heard westerners talked about Chinese are  drunkards. This is not what I saw. 

So far none none of my Chinese friend has defeated me in the drinking competition..

Drinking here (Eastern Europe) is a way of life...Beer is not alcohol...is considered the same as a Coke LOL...

Baiju, for fuck's sake...brought a bottle for my dad (a 170 RMB one!)...well i'll be damned...beautiful bottle and box n all that but tastes the same as the one for 8 RMB...hahaha

Well, Europeans drink more frequently (wine every day, for example) but in smaller doses, while Chinese people seem to prefer getting really drunk once in a while.

Most Chinese when they do drink do it like frat bays and get pissed in 3 hours.

Often when I drink with them they say I drink beer like water (or anything else) but not because I drink fast but because unlike most Chinese people I drink in between toasts and gunbai's whereas they only drink when toasted.

Drinking in China is like fighting...a competition...but they are not used to drinking casually.

I find they drink less but when they do it's all out drink till ya puke and pass out drunk.

none of them - the answer is: easterners (Russians, Polish) 

I drink daily, not to excess but everyday, especially after work, need a few beers to chill 

As the dude says, chinese drink much less regular, but when they do then its all out, as fast as they can, in as shorter time as they can and go home pissed.

I myself prefer slow long sessions where you can enjoy company, food and just watch the world go by while slowly getting pissed.

Stereotypes and more stereotypes...I don't drink at all..did some while in school more so because of peer pressure than the love for the buzz in my brain..

Here you have a REAL Deal report...and I'm shocked to see the absence of Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Americans, Poles, Germans,Canadians and few others. Never mind China, Japan.

Source
World Health Organization (WHO) Comprehensive report on the global status of alcohol, in order to help countries combat the harmful use of alcohol.
look for links down below.

15. United Kingdom
Per capita alcohol consumption: 13.37 liters
Recorded consumption: 11.67 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 1.70 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 4.93 liters
Wine: 3.53 liters
Spirits: 2.41 liters
Other: 0.67 liters

14. France
Per capita alcohol consumption: 13.66 liters
Recorded consumption: 13.30 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 0.36 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 2.31 liters
Wine: 8.14 liters
Spirits: 2.62 liters
Other: 0.17 liters

13. Ireland
Per capita alcohol consumption: 14.41 liters
Recorded consumption: 13.41
Unrecorded consumption: 1.00

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 7.04 liters
Wine: 2.75 liters
Spirits: 2.51 liters
Other: 1.09 liters

12. Portugal
Per capita alcohol consumption: 14.55 liters
Recorded consumption: 14.55 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 2.10 litres

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 3.75 liters
Wine: 6.65 liters
Spirits: 1.27 liters
Other: 0.51 liters

11. South Korea
Per capita alcohol consumption: 14.80 liters
Recorded consumption: 11.80 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 3.00 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 2.14 liters
Wine: 0.06 liters
Spirits: 9.57 liters
Other: 0.04 liters

10. Croatia
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.11 liters
Recorded consumption: 12.61 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 2.50 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 4.66 liters
Wine: 5.80 liters
Spirits: 1.91 liters
Other: 0.14 liters

9. Belarus
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.13 liters
Recorded consumption: 11.22
Unrecorded consumption: 3.91

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 1.84 liters
Wine: 0.80 liters
Spirits: 4.08 liters
Other: 2.67 liters

8. Romania
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.30 liters
Recorded consumption: 11.30 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 4.00 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 4.07 liters
Wine: 2.33 liters
Spirits: 4.14 liters
Other: 0.00 liters

7. Andorra
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.48 liters
Recorded consumption: 14.08 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 1.40 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 3.93 liters
Wine: 5.69 liters
Spirits: 3.14 liters
Other: 0.00 liters

6. Estonia
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.57 liters
Recorded consumption: 13.77 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 1.80 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 5.53 liters
Wine: 1.09 liters
Spirits: 9.19 liters
Other: 0.43 liters

5. Ukraine
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.60 liters
Recorded consumption: 8.10 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 7.50 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 2.69 liters
Wine: 0.58 liters
Spirits: 5.21 liters
Other: 0.02 liters

4. Russia
Per capita alcohol consumption: 15.76 liters
Recorded consumption: 11.03 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 4.73 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 3.65 liters
Wine: 0.10 liters
Spirits: 6.88 liters
Other: 0.34 liters

3. Hungary
Per capita alcohol consumption: 16.27 liters
Recorded consumption: 12.27 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 4.00 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 4.42 liters
Wine: 4.94 liters
Spirits: 3.02 liters
Other: 0.14 liters

2. Czech Republic
Per capita alcohol consumption: 16.45 liters
Recorded consumption: 14.97 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 1.48 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 8.51 liters
Wine: 2.33 liters
Spirits: 3.59 liters
Other: 0.39 liters

1. Moldova
Per capita alcohol consumption: 18.22 liters
Recorded consumption: 8.22 liters
Unrecorded consumption: 10.00 liters

Per capita consumption by type (recorded)
Beer: 4.57 liters
Wine: 4.67 liters
Spirits: 4.42 liters
Other: 0.00 liters

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/en...

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/ms...

I think it varies by region too, I've never met drinkers quite like those I met in Harbin anywhere else in China. Everyday drunk before lunch up until time to go back to bed, but naturally, because of my kiwi heritage ( the notorious binge drinkers we have become), it seemed about right. I'm surprised we didn't make that list, we have national ad campaigns trying to turn around what has become an accepted binge drinking culture.

To directly address the question,
I have been heard westerner said Chinese were heavy drinker all the time.
I have heard this many fewer a time than I have heard that westerners are devils.

But, I saw westerners drink beer or something else almost on daily basis after day's work. I saw westerners drink beer with very big beer-mug that I could not finish one mug.
Beer, coffee, water, it's all the same, also point out the average bottle of beer at home, where as mentioned, binge drinking is an issue, is 330ml, where as here we get twice the size as standard.

Chinese drink very much just at business dinner. most Chinese are not alcoholists.
I have not been to as many business dinners as I have witnessed or participated in the emptying of various bottles.

In addition, why westerners say baijiu is hard liquor. How about Vodka?
Average vodka alcahol volume around 40% cheapest foulest I had was actually only 13%, get into the expensive stuff, varies from 45-60% rarely exeeding, I can get a bottle of Baiju for 6元， sometimes less, thats 50-70%
Also, I find both to be less than drinkable.