The Weather and Security Worries re: Foreigners

First, the weather report. The NY Times has an excellent piece about the smog/haze over the last 5 days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/sports/olympics/29china.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

In a taxi on the way to the Juniata reunion (well-attended, a dozen Juniatians and several guests!) on Sunday, I observed to the taxi-driver that the air did not look so good. The taxi-driver insisted that it was just “fog,” and that it would rain the next day. Jingxia scolded me for raising the sensistive topic of the air quality before the Olympics. It's Tuesday morning the 29th here and the wind is blowing outside, thankfully, with rain imminent. This is indeed what usually clears the air.

On another topic: Heightened security has been noticed by most foreigners in China. A couple years ago signs went up in our neighborhood, in English and Chinese, saying “Welcome to live in our Community…..” but “register with the local police station within 24 hours of your arrival.” The Chinese government wants to know where all foreigners are staying, which is probably reasonable enough, given security concerns around the Games.

When we arrived in June we noticed tightened security vis a vis foreigners. We were tired when we arrived at our hotel (a Super 8!) in Dalian in mid-June, but the hotel staff insisted that we had to be escorted immediately to the local police station to register IN PERSON. That I had never seen before. I confess to some annoyance, as it was a 20-minute walk on a hot late morning with two young children.

When we came back from Japan on July 14th, we were supposed to re-appear in person at the police to re-register within 24 hours of our arrival. When we failed to do that (we had thought once, back in June, was enough), FOUR police from the Entry-Exit Bureau showed up at our door two days later and asked why we had not registered. The next day we all trouped over to the police station to register.

We were renting an apartment, for me to use as an office, this past week. Orders from the government had just been received: Do not rent to foreigners or residents of Xinjiang. If any show up, report to the local police immediately. One agency got scared and apparently wanted nothing to do with us. Another was willing to assist with a rental when it was explained that it would actually be my Chinese parents-in-law on the lease. The rental agency reminded us not to even mention them, in case of trouble. As if that weren't enough, in front of one of the rental agencies, a plain-clothes policeman came over and questioned me -- albeit, in a friendly-enough manner -- as to where I was from.

I get piqued about this security from time-to-time and complain that Chinese should welcome foreigners to the Olympics, not treat them as suspects! But I know the security concerns are real (terrorism), and my Chinese family argues that it is better to be well-known and well-regarded by the local authorities.

Hotel bookings in mid-level Beijing hotels were reported to be down 20% in June from what they were a year ago. For a number of reasons, people seem to be discouraged (or being discouraged from) visiting Beijing during the Olympics. There is a large, newly-opened hotel right across the main artery that runs next to our apartment complex. They have high hopes of Japanese and Korean tour groups staying in US $150/night hotel rooms. (We know, because we have asked them their rates several times, and we walk by there frequently.) But so far, the hotel appears to have been and to be completely empty of any visitors.

As I write this, the rain has started outside, so hopefully the air is clearing!