A Chinese detergent maker has apologised to black people hurt by an advert in which a black man "washed" by its product was transformed into a fair-skinned Asian man.
Shanghai Leishang Cosmetics Ltd has halted the ad, which aired first on social media. The company said that it strongly shuns and condemns racial discrimination.
It expressed regret over the controversy, which it said was amplified by the media.
The ad for Qiaobi laundry detergent drops shows a black man entering a room and attempting to flirt with an Asian woman.
She feeds him a detergent drop and stuffs his body into a top-loading washer. When the cycle completes, a fair-skinned Asian man appears to the delight of the woman.