Wanda firm fined over ads on red scarves

A subsidiary of real estate giant Wanda Group has been fined 344,700 yuan ($49,700) for printing an advertisement on red scarves - a symbol of the Chinese Young Pioneers - and distributing them to students.

Wanda Plaza Business Administration Corp was told to stop running the promotion, which aimed to drum up interest in a new shopping mall in Heze, Shandong province, news website Dazhong reported on Saturday.

Netizens criticized the company last month when it emerged that Wanda employees had handed out red scarves emblazoned with ads to students at Danyanglu Primary School during a road safety awareness event.