Beijing to show off lavatory pride at World Toilet Summit

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A man walks past an outdoor public toilet structure in Beijing.


BEIJING (AFP) - The Chinese capital, notorious for its smelly lavatories, will show off its ambitious plan to improve them during the fourth annual World Toilet Summit later this month, the Beijing government said Friday.

"Toilets represent a country's level of development, it reflects a place's level of material and spiritual civilisation," Yu Debin, deputy director of the Beijing Tourism Bureau, told a press conference.

Beijing has already invested more than 200 million yuan (24 million dollars) since 2001 on upgrading and building more than 700 new public toilets to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games, he said.

"The toilet problem at many scenic spots is a major concern both at home and overseas and is a main focus of complaints," Yu said.

During the summit, Beijing will host an exhibition on toilet design, show the video "Beijing public toilet" and arrange for participants "to see the achievement of toilet constructions in Beijing in recent years".

Issues to be discussed at the summit include toilet design and management, and the popularisation of energy-efficient and environmental toilets.

The Singapore-based World Toilet Organisation, which promotes itself as a global body for co-ordinating and promoting sanitation issues, said Beijing had been chosen to host the summit to highlight its efforts in transforming its toilets.

"We want to showcase how a city that used to have not so good toilets can suddenly become so good, that it's a doable project," World Toilet Organisation founder Jack Sim said.

Some 400 delegates, including town planners, environment and hygiene experts and toilet designers from around the world would attend the November 17-19 summit, the Beijing government said.