Government and Policy

Beijing bans 'hedonistic' advertising (Agencies)

Updated: 2011-03-25 09:15

BEIJING - Beijing has banned advertising hoardings that promote hedonism or the craven worship of foreign products. The campaign is to beautify the city and create a "fair and harmonious" environment, the Beijing administration said on its website.

Chinese cities periodically come up with similar operations, though governments across the country, especially in the wealthy coastal areas, have sold off large swathes of prime land for upmarket shopping centres filled with luxury brands.

The latest regulations for Beijing, carried on the city's industry and commerce administration's website, give advertisers until April 15 to clean up their act or face unspecified legal measures.

Advertisements that advocate lifestyles of "emperors and the nobility", carry crude language or have "bad political tendencies" are out.

Also banned are the more complex, traditional form of Chinese characters, done away by the authorities in favour of a simplified script. Although, the traditional form is widely used in China's Hong Kong and Taiwan.