Foreigners will be faced with a question of identity

[Alex]

Interesting article from  China Daily about new policies for Foreigners.

[Vinz]

And it really makes me think about how we, I mean europeans here, treated the first african or asian immigrants...When I think about how some people (usualy low educated but not only) still consider them today, it gives me the creeps!

[Vinz]

There is one little thing that tends to irritate me though...The fact that people in restaurants or in the street can't prevent themselves from saying "laowai" when thay see us. I think in some way, they are not naming us but our presence, the fact that there somebody that is not chinese-loooking in their close environment is still special.

I have a child and I name things that I believe he should know as I see them in everyday life, maybe it is the same process : they are learning, repeating to themselves that we are know part of their environment so that their kids won't have to categorize us foreigner the way they sound like doing it when we cross path with them...

[Chris Knight]

Thanks. To be honest, I did have a little help with the anger management editing.  LOL

[Richard ridealgh]

I second that, was a good article...I sense you had to go steady when you wrote that.

[Alejandro Indigo]

Right !  read your article in changchunlive, Chris. Very specific and realistic. Good job man

[Chris Knight]

Don't forget ... a leadership change is always a good time to clean house and purge, as well.

[Alejandro Indigo]

No big deal for me either. I've got both passport and foreign expert's photocopy with me all the time. However, on a personal level I don't think china is so much fun anymore... kinda got tired of being treated as a "laowai" (in the diminishing way) everywhere I go, and those NAZIonalists on TV aren't making it better for us either. Waiting for them to say "most foreigners are good people, same as Chinese" would be asking too much. So, behave!!! and keep your passport and visa copy with you all times in case another foreigner decides to get beat up by police because of a really hard-to-prove rape case, or if a xenophobia rant like the CCTV guy had last week happens again.

Ming is right: While there's an economical slowdown happening, added to the fact that the richer are getting richer and the poor poorer, it's a very smart solution to forge a common enemy, like she said... that way you can distract people from the real problems this society has.  Let's not get caught by this -necessary- nonsense.

[Richard Roman]

In the UK there is no need to carry anything

[Alex]

I think is fair to require anybody to carry ID. In italy is law. I won't carry my passport because is too precious and I am afraid to loose it, but I will surely carry a photocopy or notarized copy of it if necessary. No big deal.

[The Choonies]

Anyone legally here has always been OK with or without carry ID.

The law is changing but not so much as to get you chucked out. Maybe a fine could be introduced but as yet we don't need to carry ID. It is important though to be registered with the police and that they have the correct address so if you move then get yourself down and get the address changed. 

As for the climate towards foreigners - it's changing and needs to be monitored. And every foreigner should also register with their embassy and that information should be up-to-date too.