China: Senior Politician Proposes Change of Names of Famous Chinese Cigarette Brands

Source from:  New Beijing newspaper 03/12/2008

A member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) has recently proposed that the names of two time-honored famous Chinese cigarette brands - Chunghwa and Zhongnanhai - be changed, because it is improper to use these names representing the image of the Chinese nation as brand names of tobacco products. In Chinese, Chunghwa means China while Zhongnanhai is the name of the South Central Lake area in the heart of Beijing, which now houses the compound of the central government of China. But both have been used as brand names of famous cigarette products in China for decades. In a motion submitted to the ongoing annual session of the CPPCC National Committee on March 8, CPPCC National Committee member An Jiayao, who is also a researcher with China Academy of Social Sciences, made a package of proposals for China's implementation of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and more stringent regulation over the tobacco trade in China. In the motion, An urged the Chinese government to organize investigation and research for changing the packaging and label of tobacco products as early as possible, in order that both the front and back of cigarette packets manufactured in China will have at least 30 percent of the space bearing signs or graphics of warning against the harmfulness of cigarette smoking by January 1, 2009, implementation of the FCTC, to which China is a signatory. If China can change the packaging of cigarette packets by indicating the harmfulness of cigarette smoking with warning signs or graphics on it, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) - the regulator of China's tobacco industry - should also organize investigation and research for stopping the use of Chunghwa and Zhongnanhai as brand names of tobacco products, as both represent the image of the Chinese nation, An said. INDICATION OF "LOW TAR LEVEL" MISLEADS CONSUMERS 2008 is the final year for China to change the packaging of tobacco products manufactured in the country in implementation of the FCTC. However, the tobacco products on sale in China mostly bear the warning sign of "Cigarette smoking is harmful to your health" only on a side of the packaging. Meanwhile, they devote the front of the packaging to bearing such indications as "low tar level", "mild", "super light" etc, to suggest they are "reduced-harm" cigarettes. An charged that such approaches are in violation of the FCTC, saying that the indications of "low tar level", "light", "lower content of tar and other harmful substances", etc are actually phrases of false or deceptive advertising intended to mislead or cheat the public and consumers. CHANGE OF PACKAGING OF EXPORT-ORIENTED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH FCTC An said that though many Chinese tobacco manufacturers do not use warning signs on the packaging of their tobacco products for sale on domestic markets, they will have to change the packaging of their products for export to other signatory countries to the FCTC in compliance with the convention. Therefore, it will be quite improper to have such formidable graphics as "rotten lungs", "skeletons", "darkened teeth" and "rotten feet" on their packaging of cigarettes using the brand names of Chunghwa and Zhongnanhai, which represent the image of the Chinese nation, according to An. Therefore, if China can change the packaging of cigarette packets for sale on domestic markets by indicating the harmfulness of cigarette smoking with warning signs or graphics on major parts of the packet, the Chinese government should order a stop of the use of Chunghwa and Zhongnanhai as brand names of tobacco products as early as possible, as both represent the image of the Chinese nation, An noted. Enditem