Shaanxi, China (BBN)– Baoji city in China is on a blood donation drive, and has caused a stir in social media by saying people should give blood if they want to go to college, learn to drive or even marry.
New regulations in the Shaanxi Province city, due to come into effect next week, “urge” first-year college students and serving soldiers to donate blood at least once a year, reports BBC.
Local people who want to apply for a driving licence, receive their school graduation certificate, take up their first job or get married in Baoji registry offices “should all give a voluntary donation as a contribution to society”, Chinese TV reports.
The details published on Baoji’s official Weibo social media account are enough to cause outrage among thousands of social media users, who have little doubt that the drive will put citizens under strong moral pressure to comply.
Qing Baoyi Jiulan is typical in complaining “donations should be voluntary, and tying it to behaviour or morality is unethical”.
Lu Mumu says the city should “give more consideration to how convenient it is to donate blood, and where the blood is used” than to thinking up new rules.
The Chinese media says Pujiang County in Zheijang Province has taken a different, incentive-based approach.
 It is offering bonus points in high-school entrance exams for the children of families who make generous blood donations, Qianjiang Evening News reports.
BBN/ANS-28Sept14-3:50pm (BST)