Beijing has called for business venues to open their toilets to the general public, in an effort to help pedestrians caught short.

The business venues mainly include hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and airports, as well as subway, gas, railway and bus stations.

Moreover, the local authorities add that business venues which refuse to open their toilets will not be punished, explaining that it is voluntary.

One reason for the move is that Beijing will reduce the number of public toilets from nearly 8,000 at present to 4,700 by 2008. 

(CRI.com July 20, 2004)