Online poll seeks strict controls on foreigners
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E-mail Xinhua, May 23, 2012
Foreigners' finances, real estate assets and employment status should be more closely scrutinized, according to the vast majority of participants in a recent online survey.
Of more than 6,000 people who responded to a poll on Weibo created by children's writer Zheng Yuanjie, 94 percent wanted a stricter examination of foreigners living in China.
Voters were given two options - maintain China's visa policy, or implement a stricter examination process. Although some respondents cited examples of unqualified foreign teachers "lazing away" at English language schools, others criticized the poll's "biased and populist" nature.
"Chenlianhua" chastised Zheng for his "closed-door mentality," while "nelnel" said foreigners' criminal records, rather than their financial assets, should be more closely scrutinized.
The number of foreigners coming to China has increased significantly since the late 1970s.
Official figures indicate that the number jumped from 740,000 in 1980 to 27.11 million last year, with an average annual increase of 10 percent over the past decade. As of 2011, more than 4,700 foreigners held permanent residence permits on the Chinese mainland.
More than 20,000 foreigners were found to have entered the country illegally or were living or working in China illegally last year, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
A ministry source said illegal residents tended to be from neighboring countries and foreign language teachers, entertainers or housekeepers.
China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, has begun deliberating changes to laws concerning the entrance, residence and working status of foreigners. It has twice reviewed a draft law that combines two laws regulating entry and exit procedures.
A recent State Council report submitted to the committee proposed ramping up legislative efforts and creating a database aimed at strengthening management over foreigners.
Hou Jianguo, a member of the committee, said strengthening management did not imply a "raised threshold." "Efforts are being directed at both facilitating entries for financial, recreational and academic purposes and reducing the number of people who are illegally entering, residing or working in China," he said.
