Editor's note: The following was translated and edited from a report that appeared in the Society section of the Chinese news site People.com. It concerns a recent job ad that appeared on the Craigslist-like Baixing.com (百姓网) offering 3,000 RMB a day for "female condom testers". Though it's since been deleted by the website, the ad caused quite a stir on Weibo, both from interested parties and from those who believe the ad is a thinly-veiled attempt at organized prostitution.

According to a report in China Youth Daily, the following post recently appeared on the Chinese classifieds site Baixing.com: "3,000 RMB per day, any young and healthy, good-natured, lively female may apply." This high-paying job ad became a subject of shock and disbelief after going viral on Weibo, not surprising considering it's an ad for "condom testers". Many netizens believe such a job announcement is paramount to out-in-the-open prostitution. Baixing.com has since removed the post after media inquiry.

Wanted: female condom testers

The original post may be deleted, but screen-capped images on Sina Weibo tell the story: A job announcement for "condom tester" in Shanghai's Nanhui District offering 3,000 RMB per day to "well-featured, good-natured, lively females" between the ages of 18-25. The announcement, posted on November 4 at 14:30, had already received 22 applicants within the first three hours.

To confirm the existence of the announcement, the reporter logged onto Baixing.com and did a search for "condom tester" with two results: one for the ad that appeared on Weibo and the second for another job in Nanhui with a similar description, this one with a daily salary of 500-1,000 RMB.

 "In-person" testing

When the reporter called the listed number, a "Mr. Chen" answered the phone and confirmed himself as the original poster. Chen claimed to be an office worker at a condom factory in Shanghai. He said his company has been hiring female condom testers for several months now, and many women had already completed the interview process and begun work as testers.

When asked whether or not his company is also seeking male testers, Mr. Chen replied, "We are not currently in need of male testers; we have enough already." Chen did hint, however, that "if you recommend enough female testers to us, you become one of our contacts; at that point you can become a tester."

When asked exactly what kind of testing procedure female condom testers are expected to perform, Mr. Chen was frank: "Although machine testing is available, we primarily perform in-person testing." Chen explained, "We don't have much money for equipment, and machine testing isn't always accurate. During in-person testing, female testers don't need to do anything. Results are recorded mainly by the males."

Is condom testing via real sexual intercourse a violation of ethics and the law? Mr. Chen dismisses the suggestion: "If you don't want to do it, someone else will. If you insist that it's prostitution, then do I need to give you 500-1,000 RMB in payment?" Mr. Chen continued, "We have rules. Usually if you are accepted via interview you perform testing once in the space of one day. Additional testing won't earn you more money. We don't have special requirements for applicants, just that they are young and healthy with normal height and weight. Proof of health is encouraged."

When asked the name of his condom factory, Mr. Chen told us the brand name is "LoveXX" (‘爱××').

Manufacturer denies seeking human testers

An online search revealed "LoveXX" to be a product of Shuangjian Latex Products Limited in Hebei Province. This reporter spoke to a manager at Shuangjian named Mr. Liu, who believed they were in fact currently seeking condom tester applicants, though he wasn't sure of the details. Another manager named Ms. Cao, however, flatly denied any such job announcement.

A worker at Durex told us, "All of our products are tested electronically and by machine. We have never sought human testers."

Lawyer warns against possible prostitution racket

Xu Jiantian at Shanghai's Shenjun law firm weighed in on the legality of human condom testing: "The current legal authority on condom manufacture in China is a document called ‘Natural Latex Rubber Condom Technical Requirements and Testing Methods', and it primarily mandates a test of a condom's physical properties, which may be administered using various equipment, but there is no requirement for human testing. Therefore there should never be any need for human condom testers."

As Xu explained, "First, the veracity of this ad originating from a condom manufacturer or research and development department is dubious. Second, if money is exchanged after real sexual intercourse, then this may be a cover for a prostitution service, and if it is legal, then it may cause more prostitution to be justified in this way. At present Chinese law makes no mention of ‘human condom testing', thus it is very difficult to make any statement as to its legality."

Xu warns netizens, "Being accepted as a ‘condom tester' puts you in a very vulnerable position. By doing so you assume not only an immense moral risk, but possibly also a legal one as well."

Source: society.people.com

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Keywords: female condom testers China ChinaBaixing.com condom ad China organized prostitution