Right to reward finders of lost items

The Guangzhou authorities in South China's Guangdong province have retained the controversial rule of awarding 10 percent of the worth of unclaimed items to the finders. Comments:

If you hide to not return, it is a crime. If you turn a found item over to the police, you will be rewarded. Such a hide-punish/return-reward mechanism encourages everyone to hand in any items they find. The traditional practice has been praising the return of lost property without offering any substantial reward. Now with clear regulatory approval, a reward will be guaranteed, this is progress.

Yangcheng Evening News, Oct 13

The regulation only shows that Chinese society is in transition. The introduction of the regulation shows society has reached the stage where such a legal provision can be effective. Legislators should not only be courageous, but also guide the public in their moral behavior.

Guangzhou Daily, Oct 14

Society has developed, and we are now at the point where we are evaluating if we need material incentives to encourage traditional virtues. As long as it is used properly, the rule is conducive to cultivating the right action through the incentive of a small reward.

Beijing Times, Oct 14