Entries from June 2008 ↓

If you travel in China for quite some time, you may need to carry a pretty large amount of money with you. Then you should consider opening a bank account in China so that you can deposit and withdraw money whenever and wherever you want, and no need to carry a pile of bank notes with you.

Just go to any branch of the big banks and show your passport and china visa, fill out some forms and you will have a bank account right away. You will be given a bank passbook when the account opening process is finshed. If you also want a bank card to withdraw money at ATM machines, which you should do, you can have one upon paying RMB10 (Bank of China’s charge in 2007). You will also be given a pin number for accessing your account with the card.

In other words, it is free to open a bank account in China. But if you want to have a bank card to use the ATM machines, you will need to pay a fee of about RMB10.

However, be aware of the tricks and traps. Say, if you open a bank account with Bank of China in Guangdong Province, it is all free for you to use the bank’s ATM machinese in the province. But if you want to use the bank’s ATM machine in another province, then you will be charged about RMB10 each time. If you deposit money over the bank counter, you will be charged even more – about RMB40.

Following the tightening up of China visa issues, the organizers of the Beijing Olympics issued a reminder called Legal Guide to foreigners on 2 June, saying that some groups of people are not welcome to China.

The Legal Guide targets at foreigners, but it is posted on the Chinese website of the Olympic organizers only, not on its English website. So how can the foreigners know?  Isn’t it strange??

According to the Legal Guide, entry will be denied to those:

1) having been expelled from China by the Chinese government;
2) regarded as likely to carry out terrorist and violent attacks and engage in subversive activities;
3) regarded as likely to engage in drug trafficking and prostitution;
4) with mental illness and contagious diseases such as sexually transmitted disease, leprosy and tuberculosis;
5)  who cannot afford their expenses during their stay in China;
6) regarded as likely to engage in other activities that threaten the national security and interests of China.

I have one big problem with this notice. How can China be so flagrantly discriminatory against people with mental illness and STD when the country has a large number of people with mental illness and STD, especially AIDS, who desperately need the society not to discriminate against them and need care?

You cannot rid the country of discrimination if the leadership/high ranking officials of the country are using the language of discrimination.

If you have ever been to Hong Kong, you may still recall the city’s harbor skyline, especially after dark. Hong Kong’s harbor night view is breathtaking.

But when you see these photos, you will have to sigh.

These are the photos I took when I visited the Central harbor yesterday - only to find the harbor slipping away with a large swathe of land being reclaimed, extending all the way from the Post Office and old star ferry pier in Central. On this reclaimed land will stand the major government offices – the nexus of power. And on this reclaimed land, will stand also the military base of PLA, China’s military.

Until now, I cannot understand why the government offices and PLA base need to stand on this premium land, reclaimed from one of the most treasured assets of this city – the harbor, which has been giving breath and life to the city for over a century.

Seeing these pictures, you cannot help but wonder how much the city has lost for good. The saddening fact is that our government and many people here do not seem to care.