Nation

Police quash online rumors over Expo curfew for expats

By Gao Changxin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-10 07:26

SHANGHAI - Police on Friday denied the city will impose a curfew on expats during the upcoming Expo in a bid to refute online rumors that certain restrictions will be imposed on foreigners.

The rumors were initiated by an article posted on Shanghaiist, a popular portal for the expat community, saying foreigners will be required to return to their own place of residence each night or to notify the local police station if they are staying at another residence after the 11 pm curfew.

According to the post, all foreigners who travel outside of Shanghai must also have a clearance letter from their employer, who must be made aware of any travel plans.

The post further said some foreigners had received "notice" from Shanghai police stating that foreigners should avoid "socializing" within the locale of any of the Expo sites.

"Foreigners are only required to carry their passport with them at all times and to register their place of residence at their local police station, as stated in the rules for the implementation of the law of the People's Republic of China on the control of the entry and exit of aliens. No other additional requirements have been been put in place by the police," the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security said in a statement on Friday.

In fact, the two requirements have been in operation for years - not only in Shanghai, but across the country and they have not been specially drawn up for the Expo.

"The online rumors are false and groundless. Except for the requirements of residence registration and the passport, no other rules have been issued by the police," said the statement.

Shanghai police will protect the legal rights of all foreigners in the city and organize public campaigns during the Expo to promote knowledge of Chinese law among foreigners, said the statement.

All the rules and laws concerning foreigners can be found on the Shanghai police's official website, www.police.sh.cn/shga/gwe, according to the statement.

"I haven't read the post yet, but the requirements mentioned are quite ridiculous. If it is true, I don't believe many foreigners will want to come to Shanghai," said Linda Swanson, an American who teaches English in Shanghai.

"I doubt the Shanghai government would impose these requirements on foreigners, because it would be like smothering the Expo."

In response to the rumors, Ryan Kim, a Korean student at the Shanghai International Studies University, said: "No one told me to do the things mentioned in the post and my passport has only been checked twice during my one-year stay in Shanghai.

"People say whatever they want to say on the Internet and the information online is sometimes problematic."

China Daily

(China Daily 04/10/2010 page4)