Draft regulations on street advertising were
released by Beijing’s municipal government on August 15 and public
feedback is being solicited for the rest of the month, according to
Beijing Youth on August 16.
They stipulate that publicity materials should be
clean, tidy and pleasing to the eye, and shouldn't affect the
appearance of the city.
Forms of advertising that would be forbidden
include: spraying slogans or attaching banners to buildings, fixing
ads to trees; attaching banners to overpasses and railway bridges,
using advertising aircraft, blocking traffic signs and affecting
road safety.
They would also mean that only events approved or
organized by the state or city government would be able to use lamp
posts or telephone poles to advertise. Even these will be banned in
Tian'anmen Square, Zhongnanhai, Chang'an Street, the 2nd Ring Road
and expressways.
Ads would only be allowed to be up for a month at
maximum, and those connected to festivals would only be able to be
on display from a day before to a day after them. Spring Festival
promotions would have slightly more leeway: from three days before
it to one day after Lantern Festival.
People can give their feedback on the draft
regulations at Beijing Legislative Information’s website http://www.bjfzb.gov.cn/newsite/
until August 31.
Their opinions will then be returned to Beijing
People’s Congress for it to consider modifications to the
draft.
(China.org.cn by Zhou Jing, August 21, 2005)