Don’t Worry, We Harass Everyone
Another friendly reminder that it is almost impossible for me to imagine there won’t be problems during the Olympics: today I got a combination visit from the water usage reader and the PSB (bizarre tag-team). The Public Safety Bureau woman asked me to put down all of my information. Instead I informed her that I had already registered several times and that I was getting pretty sick of the visits, since I was so conscientious to be in conformity with the laws and regulations of China. I explained that during the Olympics China’s “foreign guests,” as the government calls them, would be fairly “unsatisfied” with the shoddy treatment.
The woman, who was actually so nice that I almost felt bad giving her a hard time (almost), told me that they were not simply harassing (my word) foreigners, but also Chinese. She even showed me the clipboard filled with Chinese residents’ names to prove the point. To me, it seems worse that PSB people are showing up at the apartments of local people. At least I’m not a Chinese citizen. For Chinese people, they have register in their own country.
I noticed that the woman had made a note on her clipboard and I asked to see it. She had written “他不满意中国” (”he is unsatisfied with China.”) I pointed out that I never said I was “unsatisfied with China” and rather that I liked China but thought that this policy was not ideal. Further I said I was fully compliant with all the rules and regulations of my host country and didn’t appreciate being told to register and re-register when I was clearly acting lawfully. She crossed out the unsatisfied part and agreed with me that I had been misquoted.
I look forward to another visit sometime this week. If my posts stop going up I guess you’ll know why.
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豪杰 responds:
Posted: March 2nd, 2008 at 8:11 pm →
他不满意中国
chriswaugh_bj responds:
Posted: March 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 am →
There’s a crackdown on out-of-towners properly registering as temporary residents underway in large part because of the Olympics, that’ll be why your friendly neighbourhood cop is visiting your Chinese neighbours. Presumably those with a Beijing hukou will be left alone, while those from out of town will be told to register as they are supposed to. Here’s my crappy translation of the article in TBN about it
As for you, I don’t know why you’ve had to re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-register so many times. At my university we got a new, comprehensive form to fill out last October or November, a form that was obviously designed for foreigners and non-Beijing Chinese alike, and that was it. But experience tells me not to expect much communication between the various cops involved, even if they share an office. But I’m guessing this time you’re just collateral damage in the search for unregistered non-Beijing Chinese.
nanheyangrouchuan responds:
Posted: March 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 am →
This PSB officer (and others like her) may not be attached to the local police station but part of a higher level bureau tasked specifically with Olympic “harmony” and especially making sure that non-Beijing residents and foreigners are properly “harmonized” ahead of the games.
And what is more disturbing than simply logging the address of every citizen and foreign resident in Beijing is the fact that she noted that you are “unsatisfied” with China. Do you know that she didn’t re-emphasize that note that you caught after you closed the door? I’m smelling thought crimes, a list of roaders and those “opposed to the rise of China”. If anything negative happens before or during the games those foreigners with “attitude” may be rounded up.
Josh responds:
Posted: March 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am →
@nan
I am confident that she didn’t change the note because she smiled at me. No one would smile at me and then do something dishonest when I am out of site.
Michael responds:
Posted: March 3rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm →
We live in the Xizhimen area and had the same type of visit yesterday. I would usually look through the peep hole, but that was about the same time the South China Morning Post is delivered on weekends, so didn’t look out. Unfortunately the PSB gal caught sight of our dog which is currently unregistered and about 5 cm larger than he should be (though there are dogs TWICE his size in the neighborhood, including a pretty mean Rottweiler likely owned by some functionary). Don’t think anything will come of it, but she said something to my wife about the fact that we shouldn’t have it there. No idea if she wrote anything down. My wife was half-asleep when she went to the door, so the conversation was a bit awkward which means my wife didn’t correct her when the PSB gal was referring to “your friend’s dog” … but then maybe I’m not so husbandly.
Stuart responds:
Posted: March 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm →
“I am confident that she didn’t change the note because she smiled at me. No one would smile at me and then do something dishonest when I am out of site.”
You’ve obviously never met my ex.
Micah Sittig responds:
Posted: March 5th, 2008 at 9:57 am →
We had the same thing a few weeks ago, except the guy was from the 居委会 neighborhood committee. He was also recording people’s party memberships, haha.
Also, you are clearly 不满意中国 if you are challenging its laws. Arguing with her was just bickering over semantics.
Shanghai Scrap » I interrupt this blog … responds:
Posted: March 6th, 2008 at 5:55 am →
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