Why so many sex shop in Beijing?

I am somewhat alarmed by the huge number of sex shops in Beijing. How could this possibly be economically sustainable? What is the reason? Is there government subsidy at play?

I went into one of those once to buy s whip for Halloween. (honestly, that's why)

It was about a square meter with glass cabinets on all three wall showing their wide arrange of dildo's, anal toys, blindfolds, chains, g-spot simulators and so on.

It was a bit crowded really with myself, the wife, the shop owner, the shop owners wife, and the SHOP OWNERS 7 YEAR OLD SON!

i'd be kind of nervous about buying something from a sex shop here.. some kind of dildo that would make the insides of my hoo-hoo rot away with some illegal chemical, or electrocute myself with a vibrator or something :sick:

But seriously, Beijing likes all those superlative titles, surely this place has the most sex shops per capita.
I noticed a new one by my daughter's kindergarten (nice, huh) that had adverstised 24 hour service with a huge mobile phone number on the sign. Today the number was covered with red plastic.