Clean-up campaign now in full bloom

Shanghai equipped local taxis with small bags two years ago in a bid to encourage drivers to expectorate with a little discretion rather than spit at will on the streets. As Shanghai's hosting of the World Expo draws ever-closer, the city is pursuing further measures to clean up its image. Director of Shanghai's Municipal Spiritual Civilization Office Ma Chunlei elaborated on the issue when he sat down for a chat with China Daily reporter Wang Zhenghua.

Q: About two years ago, the city's public health watchdog vowed to ensure that within a year all of Shanghai's 45,000 registered taxis would carry "spitting sacks" for drivers and passengers to use. How successful has the policy been?

A: My feeling is that the spitting sacks are not widely used. This follows a general decline in the quality of service offered by our taxis in recent years as drivers' incomes have plateaued. Ten years ago, a taxi driver could make 3,000 to 4,000 yuan a month, much higher than the average wage here. But now the job is losing its magnetism because of stagnating incomes.