A three-day-old regulation that lets police fine people for spitting or littering in public has left more Beijingers confused than convinced the measure will help clean up the city's image.
However, it seemed to be having some effect in popular public venues such as Tiananmen Square and the Wangfujing shopping district yesterday, where there was a distinct lack of spitting despite it being day two of a week-long National Day break, and the areas being full of tourists.
But in a subway station next to the square, spit greased the floors yesterday morning and a child urinated on the wall as his parents watched.
Within five minutes, four people had spat as they walked or cycled past the Ritan Park gates in central Beijing.
According to Xinhua, the Beijing City Clean Environment and Sanitation Regulations allow authorities to fine people for spitting, urinating, littering - including dropping cigarette butts - and posting advertisements in illegal places.
A ticket seller at Ritan Park said the new rules were in full force, adding that fines for spitting would range from 20 yuan (HK$18.80) to 50 yuan. Xinhua said posting advertisements carried a 1,000 yuan fine.
Xinhua did not mention who among Beijing's ranks of police, guards, health authorities and neighbourhood supervisors could issue fines. People surveyed yesterday also wondered whether it was still legal to spit on the shrubbery in public parks.