Spitters and litter violators on Beijing's streets will face fines ranging from 20 yuan (US$2.59) to 50 yuan if caught on the spot as part of Beijing's latest campaign to stamp out uncivilized behavior, Xinhua news agency reported today.

The campaign, launched on Sunday by the urban management department, will center on transit hubs, business streets, Olympic venues as well as scenic spots in the Chinese capital to improve its image ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games, the director of local civil behavior office Zhang Huiguang said yesterday. The office under the city government deals with residents' uncivilized behavior.

Other measures to regulate uncivilized behavior during the campaign include increasing the number of litter bins on main streets, posting warnings of possible penalties in public venues, providing paper bags for spitting and distributing free napkins to the public, Zhang said.

Spitting and littering are considered to be the most common forms of bad behavior by Chinese tourists, an online survey conducted by the National Tourism Administration last August indicated.

(Shanghai Daily April 26, 2007)