Private Number Plates Return to Beijing

I'm thrilled to hear that the city of Beijing has just begun to issue vanity licence plates after a six year ban. In 2002, the issue of private number plates was put on hold due to politically incorrect messages being displayed. Plates such as 'SEX 001' and 'USA 911' sparked negative media reports. As a result, the motorists of Beijing had to wave goodbye to private plates.

But now, they have finally returned - and so they should! I don't see why personalised number plates had to be banned for six whole years! We've often given reports of rude number plates being banned in the UK and many other countries. (Some of the plates banned in America have often been of particular interest to us, mainly due to the fact that there's no conceivable reason as to why certain plates should have been removed anyway!) I don't see why the city of Beijing had to endure a ban that long.

It's been reported that top picks for private number plates are now ones that look like certain auspicious Chinese words. One man apparently waited three days to snap up 'NV8888'. The number 8 refers to prosperity, so will always be a popular pick in China.

Well, with the long-awaited return of personal number plates, I expect an incredible mass frenzy towards the purchase of number plates in Beijing. What must all the number plates enthusiasts have done to occupy themselves in those six loooong years?

I'm relieved to hear that they're back. Let's hope there are still some fun plates available though and they haven't all been banned!

 Subscribe in a reader