And civic officials from the municipal government have vowed to gradually improve the sorry condition of the loos within the next five years.

The government will take charge of the hygiene and maintenance of the public toilets which cost an average of 30,000 yuan (US$3,600) a year each.

It is estimated Beijing spends 14 million yuan (US$1.7 million) a year on maintaining the toilets with the cost rising year by year.

Beijing pledged to continue freshening up its restrooms under a pact with the World Toilet Society to stage the industry's premier annual event - the 2004 World Toilet Summit.

The capital already spent 130 million yuan (US$15.8 million) last year in repairing or reconstructing more than 400 toilets in urban districts and scenic spots, to improve the conditions of lavatories which were once notorious for little privacy and no seats.

According to statistics, only 10.2 per cent of the 4,700 current lavatories in urban districts meet the standard of star-rated toilets with separate seats and waterbowls, and they are concentrated in relatively few areas.

The capital has lifted the lid on plans to build and reconstruct 200 star-rated toilets this year.

It is estimated that 2,700 public toilets will remain in urban districts by 2006, and 2,000 ramshackle lavatories in old hutong (traditional alleys) will disappear due to the demolition and reconstruction of old houses.

(China Daily February 27, 2002)