(This is a guest blog by B.S.D Mistry)

No matter how long you work in China there are still days when you hear stories that never fail to surprise, or even make you fall out of chair in laughter. My good friend Ed works for a huge US based manufacturer of fast moving consumer goods. They have a plant in Suzhou which has grown rapidly in three years from 150 people to employing over 800 line workers, most of which are young women between the age of 18 and 30.

A year ago the company launched a research project to reduce the rate of absenteeism , which Ed headed up. The results of the research determined the two single biggest reasons by far for missing work were having an abortion and visiting the sexual health clinic. The company decided to tackle the issue by introducing a health clinic with a nurse on site to treat STD-related diseases and tackle prevention by giving out condoms.

Ed now has a new problem. His company is giving away 1600 condoms every day (averaging 2 per person), which has left him scratching his head and facing a large bill. As to how these free condoms are being used one can only guess. Perhaps his workers have an active nightlife, or more likely someone is buying up all these freebies and making a profit. As with many aspects of Chinese life the answers remain sheathed.