China bans pig image

I heard this on the radio this morning and looked up the story on the net as soon as I could. It continues to surprise me. This year (beginning on February 18) is the year of the pig in China. As such, the pig is a natural choice for ad campaigns of various kinds. The Chinese government, however, has banned the use of the pig--its likeness in pictures, cartoons, traditional paper cut images, and even slogans, to avoid offending the nation's Muslims.

This surprises me for a number of reasons. China is a communist country. I didn't think that communism officially bowed under pressure from minority groups--especially religious minorities. In fact, religious persecution persists in China, especially against Christians in general and Catholics in particular. I guess the government there doesn't loose sleep over whether or not their actions offend Christians.

I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease.