Sex scandal highlights dark side of tourism

Reports about the recent Zhuhai adventures of a Japanese tour group have hit a nerve, but not entirely for the right reasons. The trip in question took place between September 16 and 18 - the last day being the 72nd anniversary of the Japanese occupation of northeast China - and many Chinese are outraged to hear that the group of some 400 male tourists invited at least as many Zhuhai prostitutes en masse to their hotel. Angry comments have been posted by the thousands in internet chat rooms, calling the incident an affront to Chinese dignity, purposefully scheduled to take place on a sensitive date. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has even stepped in to ask Japan to curb the activities of citizens who visit China, where prostitution is technically illegal.

Surely, the diplomatic issues involved are complex and important ones. The reports - and vociferous public reaction - come at a time when the two countries are seeking mutual accommodation over a turbulent history as well as increasing competition in the economic sphere. But there are other dimensions to this story which deserve note. These include indications that the tourists may have been part of an organised sex tour, and to the longstanding evidence that Zhuhai, a border town near Macau, is one of the mainland's hotspots for such activity. There are reports that the sales staff of the five-star hotel where the scandal took place were involved in hiring the prostitutes. Few who know Zhuhai's reputation as a gateway for southern China's triad and vice activities will be shocked that the romp occurred where it did. Yet to simply gloss over all this would be wrong.

Even though prostitution is illegal in China, there is no doubt that it has grown exponentially in recent years - keeping pace with the growth of the national economy and the tourism sector. The dark side of the trade includes organised crime, exploitation, and the spread of diseases such as Aids. Although it would be difficult to stamp out prostitution entirely, this is also no reason to turn a blind eye to the operation of organised sex tours or to the promotion of the trade by those who work in the tourism industry. Japan and South Korea are already major sources of inbound tourism for China, and arrivals from throughout the region will surely increase as the country integrates into the world economy.

The Zhuhai incident will raise questions about the state of China's relationship with Japan. But just as importantly, it should also raise questions about what kind of tourist industry China wants to foster.