Govt offices banned from putting names on products

BEIJING - China on Friday issued a circular which prohibits government organs from using labels that claim certain products are created especially for such government agencies.

The circular, jointly issued by five departments, bans central and government organs from labelling, or authorizing others to label, products as having been created especially for such organs. These "special" products also should not bear the name or logo of central and state organs and their affiliated institutions, according to the circular posted on the website of the Government Offices Administration (GOA) of the State Council.

Similar moves to brand important meetings and landmark sites of government organs are also forbidden, the circular said.

In China, some retailers illegally produce and sell products labelled as being exclusive to certain government organs, which has misled consumers, disturbed market order and tarnished the reputation of central and government organs.

The circular urges all government organs to strictly examine the use of budgets in order to stop purchases of these "special" products.

It also calls on all relevant departments to cooperate in supervising and punishing those who violate the regulation.

The circular was jointly issued by the GOA, the Government Offices Administration of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Finance, the National Audit Office and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

Since September, a campaign jointly carried out by the SAIC and nine other departments has achieved success in cracking down on the sale of such "special" products online.