Free-spirited spitting won't threaten China's Olympic bid

Dog ownership is seen as a status symbol in China

By CNN's Rose Tang

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- China's state-run People's Daily has urged Beijing residents to refrain from spitting and walking dogs "irresponsibly" to polish up the national image during their bid for the 2008 summer Olympic Games.

The paper reported Tuesday that Lang Ping, a former women's volleyball star, suggested that China's bid for 2008 Olympics should be backed up with a campaign to ban spitting in the streets.

For decades, spitting in public has stained China's image, and the government routinely cracks down on public spitting -- fines can be as hefty as Rmb 5 (about US 40c) per spit.

The People's Daily also suggested that on top of the spitting ban, a dog awareness campaign is just as crucial in the Olympic bid.

It's a dog's life

The article, entitled "Free-spirited spitting and dog raising", also claims that Beijing's residential areas are plagued by dog excrement.

Despite a dog-eating tradition and high registration costs, more and more Chinese are adopting canines as pets, seeing expensive lapdogs as a status symbol.

Illegal dog trade is rife, and pet salesmen have been known to paint black polka dots on white dogs to raise prices, according to the Chinese media.

And as the decision on the Games bid nears, an excrement-free lawn along Beijing's major streets was sprayed with green paint to greet the arrival of a delegation from the International Olympic Committee.