Money seems to be a sensitive issue in China. While their wealthy don’t approve of philanthropy, the government seems to be eager to remind the rich people of the nation that it is after all a communist state that needs to put wellbeing over extravagance. In an unprecedented move, Beijing is all set to put a ban on billboards that promote a luxurious lifestyle that remind common man of the great wealth divide. So what have they done to control the situation? For starters, the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce has put up an April 15 deadline for companies to get rid of words like “luxury”, “royal”, “supreme” and “high class” from billboards. If not complied, the companies will be slapped with a fine of Yuan 30,000 ($4,570).
That’s not all; the central city of Chongqing put up a similar front wherein property developers have been banned from using words like “best,” “unique,” or “irreplaceable” for any apartment or dwelling they sell. The government justifies the move by saying that it promotes foreign culture. The government adds that the wealth gap in the country is a serious threat. As per a survey conducted last year, the average income of a person living in a Chinese city is now thrice as high as that of a person from the countryside.
[Telegraph]
