Monday, November 17, 2008 - A left-over China post: law and order
Under the communist system in China, each street had a neighbourhood representative, whose responsibility it was to make sure that everyone in the area was obeying the rules. They knew everything about everyone, and could make life very difficult for non-conformists. Today's China is much less restrictive. People come and go within their registered city with very little supervision. Foreigners still officially have to inform the local police of their place of abode, but the system has seemed largely a rubber stamp.
Until one day in June. The previous week, I had gone to register where we were living. I had forgotten to do that when we last entered the country, but now needed the registration slip in order to extend our visas. The process was as relaxed as usual, but they had a new computer system, into which all our information - including the expiration date of our visas - was typed with two slow fingers. The following week, I was stopped by one of the (private) security guards at the gate of our (private) apartment complex. He cheerfully reminded me to renew my visa, as it was due to expire. That computer system was doing its job - now they could really keep track of me.
I took this photo in late 2007. At that time, the shop on the left was happily selling pirated DVDs of overseas films, right next to the police station on the right. You may be able to see a contented foreigner buying some entertainment in the shop. After being a favourite haunt of the foreign community for several years, the shop was brought into line in early 2008 - no more pirating, and just a thin offering on the shelves.
