Prostitutes ‘more trustworthy’ than officials in China

PROSTITUTES are considered more trustworthy in China than government officials and scientists, a survey of more than 3,000 respondents showed.

The online survey of 3,376 Chinese showed that 7.9% of respondents considered sex workers trustworthy, putting them in third place after farmers and religious workers, the Insight China magazine said on its website.

“A list like this is at the same time surprising and embarrassing,” the China Daily said yesterday, commenting on the result of the survey.

“The sex workers’ unexpected prominence on this list of honour... is indeed unusual,” the paper said.

The newspaper said the list showed scientists and teachers ranked “way below, and that government functionaries, too, scored hardly better”.

Soldiers and students were ranked after sex workers on the list of trustworthy professions, Insight China said.

“Given the constant feed of scandals involving the country’s elite, this is not bad at all,” the China Daily editorial commented.

“At least [the scientists and officials] have not slid into the least credible category which consists of real estate developers, secretaries, agents, entertainers and directors.”