Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

Uncle China relates how bribing the police works for foreign businesspeople and Chinese alike.

I discovered the police registration requirement for newborns by accident when we went to apply for Z's visa. Mrs. Imagethief and I had waited a while to do this because we hadn't applied for the passports right away. We were, as you might expect, a bit overwhelmed by the presence of a newborn and didn't have any immediate plans to travel.

"So far, the world has heard from the young man and the cameraman in the famous Bus Uncle episode. But who cares about them? The world wants to know about the Bus Uncle himself.

As Steve Dickinson very concisely summarizes in this recent post on China Law Blog, the government is actively expanding their control over foreign investment in China’s real estate market. That isn’t to say that real estate is completely off limits for foreign players, but rather that the Central Government has put themselves in a position where they can disapprove or delay projects completely at their own discretion.

A new report out of Beijing is loosening the government's choke-hold on public outcry. "China's State Council on Friday approved a new regulation designed to make it easier for the public to lodge complaints against what they deem unjust government decisions.

According to the Regulation on Implementing Administrative Review Law, the public has the right to ask the government to review its actions and decisions that they believe have infringed upon their rights."

Ningbo Yibao, a State Controlled metal trading company's principal trader James Xu kidnaps a foreign scrap-metal trader and demands a $350,000 ransom for his release. Passport demanded by James Xu, the scrap metal trader attempted to flee to Shanghai airport (not specified which on in the rough area) and was kidnapped at the airport.

Tibet reopened to tourists Wednesday, three months after the Chinese government banned visits by foreigners after violent anti-government riots and protests. Officials from the Tibetan Tourism Bureau say the first group of foreign tourists, from Sweden, arrived at the Lhasa airport on Wednesday morning. China threw a curtain around Tibet and areas in nearby provinces with sizable Tibetan populations after the March violence, citing the safety of foreign tourists and journalists.

While Chinese officials are ridiculing the West for their financial irresponsibility they conveniently forget to mention that they are currently in default on $260 billion of government bonds purchased by Americans alone. Uncle China points out that China's state-owned enterprises are omitting these facts when they list on US capital markets.

For foreigners above 18 years it is valid for 10 years. Because the Ministry of Public Security issues the card, it is valid throughout China. With a passport and the Card one can go in and out of China freely. So the Card saves the time and expenses needed to get a visa. It can also be used separately as a legal certificate to stay in Beijing.