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China is a
very safe country for foreign travelers,
thanks in part to the draconian penalties
for violent crimes against tourists. Women
travelling on their own in China are much
safer than in most other countries, though
there have been reports of sexual harassment
in the Muslim region of Xinjiang. Tourists
are forbidden from bringing mace spray
canisters into the country.
Although
incidents involving violent crime against
foreigners are extremely rare, petty crime
such as pickpocketing is on the increase.
Professional pickpockets operate on packed
public buses or in busy shopping districts
like Huating Lu market in Shanghai.
Leave
valuables in your hotel room if there is a
safe or if you can deposit them at the front
desk. Otherwise, take them with you in a
money belt. Always remember where your
valuables are and bear in mind that bag-slashers
can cut through flimsy rucksacks and bags.
Other areas
where foreign visitors should be
particularly vigilant are transport centres
(bus and train stations) in the major
cities, where large numbers of jobless
migrants congregrate. The race for wealth
has created an ever-widening income gap
between the Have's (mainly in the richer
cities and coastal areas) and the Have Not's
(mainly in the countryside and inland
regions). Migrant populations swell the
larger cities, especially Beijing, Shanghai
and Guangzhou. Ostentatiously dressed
foreign tourists may pose a tempting target
for pickpocketing or mugging.
If you need to
contact the police or Public Security Bureau
(PSB), they are recognisable by their green
uniforms and caps (spotting the undercover
police is rather more difficult). If you
have been robbed, you will need to fill out
a loss report at the nearest Foreign Affairs
Branch of the PSB. This is likely to take
hours or even days, involve endless
paperwork and require considerable patience. |
China in Brief
