sex toys - Waiting for regulation

For a trade covering over ten billion US dollar in 2003 the adult toy expo in Shanghai is a rather modest one. Covering less than one floor at the Intex exhibition hall in Hongqiao district, it catered for many a dozen foreign traders. The notion that China is not only taking on the market of teddy bears but also that of sex toys has not taken on, although five Dutch reporters, one Italian and very few Chinese are trying to do their best. (What is wrong or good with us Dutch, being overrepresented here?)
The industry needs a regulation, said dr. Tong Chuanliang, Shanghai's own sex specialist, present at the expo. "Amazing that such an industry is still ignored by the government." Although there was a free flow of condoms, apart from the opening speeches, no links was all to obvious made to the ongoing struggle to curb AIDS. Most likely the relevant authorities are currently too busy in raging the people's war against pornography.
Despite high expectations the sex toy expo was not much more titillating than say the average car show, although being attacked by a little girl with a vibrator was a bit special.
As always, the China Dream was very present. "In Australia we sell three million vibrators per year, mostly made in China," said Michael Rutner, of 'Next to nothing'. That means on average one vibrator for every sexual active woman." Guess the home market in China is only starting.