Hotels and entertainment venues in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, must provide condoms from August, under new rules designed to curb the spread of HIV, the Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.

The regulations were passed at the Urumqi Municipal People's Congress on December 17 and will take effect on August 1.

Venue owners who fail to make condoms available will be fined between 500 yuan ($75) and 5,000 yuan, and their premises will be closed if the situation is not rectified within a set time period. Repeat offenders risk losing their entertainment licenses, the report said.

"We have been providing condoms on request since last year. We charge five yuan for each," a worker surnamed Xue at the Bayinhe Super 8 Hotel in Urumqi, said.

In addition, the regulations require workers who are "vulnerable to HIV/AIDS" to take health checks every six months. People without a valid health certificate cannot work in such venues, the report said.

"This rule applies specifically to sex workers in entertainment venues. They will have to take tests for HIV and syphilis as well as the standard health check," the head of the disease control department of the Urumqi Health Bureau told the Global Times yesterday under the condition of anonymity.

"I don't think (providing condoms) is a good idea," a man surnamed Ji from Urumqi told the Global Times yesterday.

"Does that mean that prostitution is legal in China now? Offering people condoms in entertainment places is just like telling them it is ok to have sex there," he said.

Condoms have been provided in all Beijing hotels of three stars and above since a new rule was introduced there in May of last year.

Source: Global Times