Shanghai govt offers Merc to promote spending

SHANGHAI: In an unprecedented development, a district government will subsidize shops during the May holiday sales, aiming to stimulate spending in times of a financial crunch.

The Xuhui district government is giving away three Mercedes-Benz C200K and 150 gold bars to shoppers at nine department stores in Xujiahui, the central business district (CBD) of Xuhui, from April 24 to May 10.

"It is a special act coming at a special time," said Wang Qiwei, an official with the government.