China Claims World's Biggest Condom

Carrying the message of "Control population growth, pay attention to sexual health, prevent AIDS," a bright yellow condom covering the façade of a 20-story hotel in the southern Chinese city of Guilin marked United Nations World Population Day on Friday. The roundness of the three-star Fragrant River Hotel provided the perfect shape for erecting the giant condom, according to the hotel manager, who declined to give her name. "The initial plan was to cover the whole building, but because the wind was so strong they could only cover the front half," said the manager. The Guilin Latex Company has applied to the publishers of the Guinness Book of World Records to recognize their giant condom, which is nearly 330 feet around and 260 feet tall, said the Xinhua wire service. Local activists and international experts agree that more publicity and government leadership are needed to avert an AIDS catastrophe in China.

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