China 2008 Crime & Safety Report

 

Major metropolitan areas in China are relatively safe, especially in comparison with similarly sized cities in other developing countries.  A sizeable law enforcement and security presence serve as an effective deterrent against most types of crime, including those of a violent nature.  Nevertheless, the embassy assesses that while the overall crime threat is low, the number of criminal incidents, including those directed against official Americans, continue to rise.  As China’s economy expands, so too does the disparity among socio-economic classes, creating conditions that will likely further the low, but nonetheless, increasing rate of crime.

 

It should be noted that the embassy believes that official crime statistics are typically underreported by the police.  This practice will continue at least through the Olympics, as law enforcement sources have informed the Regional Security Officer (RSO) that they have no plans to officially confirm reports of violent crime now or during August 2008.

 

Statistically, the most common type of crime directed against Western nationals is petty in nature: pick-pocketing, minor thefts, and various types of financial scams are all commonly reported crimes.  Such incidents mainly transpire at tourist sites, upscale shopping areas, the airport, and similar locations frequented by Westerners.

 

Reports of “black money” scams (where “authentic” U.S. currency is purportedly coated in black ink and sold to unsuspecting Westerners along with a solution that removes the ink) continue to trickle in.  One official American recently reported that two females attempted to lure him and his wife to a café to engage in conversation and order tea.  Fortunately, he was aware that this was likely a potential scam where the victims are forced (often via physical intimidation) to pay an exorbitant bill for the tea and immediately declined the offer.

 

Of more serious concern, RSO has received multiple reports of residential break-ins, car windows being smashed to steal unattended items, thefts of mopeds and bicycles, luggage being stolen from taxi cabs, credit card fraud, and the vandalizing of personal property (primarily vehicles and buildings).  Fraudulent 100 Yuan notes being dispersed at bank ATMs is also becoming more common.  Interestingly, bank officials do not know how to handle such incidents, preferring to contact the police and have the victim arrested.

 

Violent crime against foreigners remains rare, but is also on the rise.  For example, three Europeans were stabbed on at least two separate occasions at Tiananmen Square in 2007 – the incidents involved non-fatal injuries.  While not directed against a Westerner, a Chinese national was stabbed multiple times near an official embassy residence in August of this year.  RSO has also received reports of serious assaults, including those directed against official Americans.  In addition, a limited number of unconfirmed reports involving the possible use of date-rape drugs at bars and nightclubs have been submitted to RSO in the past calendar year.

 

Recent open source reporting suggests that violence is becoming more common among certain sectors in China’s emerging capitalist sector, with some businesses employing strong arm tactics and physical violence to intimidate competitors.

 

 

 

Americans visiting China are advised to take routine safety precautions and to be aware of their surroundings at all times.  Many hotels and apartment buildings may be of substandard construction, lacking emergency exits, fire suppression systems, carbon monoxide monitors, and standard security equipment (locks, alarms, and personnel).

 

Public transportation in major metropolitan areas is comparatively modern – buses, subways, and taxis are of relatively new design.  However, trains and buses are often crowded, with individuals employed specifically to “wedge” additional passengers into conveyances that are already loaded well beyond the recommended capacity.

 

Physical road conditions in larger cities are generally good to excellent.   In contrast, driving conditions are usually poor.  Beijing alone is adding some 1,200 vehicles to the road per day, causing already congested roads to come to a standstill during rush hour.  The greatest “road hazard” is local driving habits – most have little experience operating motor vehicles, and are either overly cautious or aggressive, leading to several accidents per day.  On an annual basis, RSO offices respond to dozens of traffic accidents involving official Americans, most of which are minor in nature.  Additional road hazards include pedestrians, bicyclists, animals, poorly graded roads, and dearth of traffic signals/signs in suburban areas, making it unclear which vehicle has the right of way.

 

 

 

The threat level for political violence remains low.   In most major metropolitan areas, the Chinese authorities employ an overwhelming police/security presence to ensure that demonstrations remain peaceful.  Protestors must receive an official permit from municipal authorities prior to being allowed to gather.

 

 

In 2007, there were no large-scale gatherings immediately outside of official American facilities.  Most demonstrators aired concern over purported human rights violations and socio-economic issues.  The last large-scale violent protests targeting U.S. facilities transpired in 1999 and 2001 following the accidental NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and the downing of a U.S. EP-3 military plane over China.

 

Demonstrations targeting non-U.S. facilities are not uncommon, especially outside of Beijing.  Industrial accidents (e.g., mine collapses) or failed financial schemes have been the cause for larger-scale demonstrations, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand participants.  For example, in late November, thousands of protestors gathered in Shenyang to protest personal financial losses associated with investments in a company said to be using ant extracts for medicinal purposes.  A number of the protestors associated with the demonstration (from 100 to 200 people) ultimately moved near the U.S. Consulate to seek assistance from the U.S. and other consulates in the area.

 

 

 

China is rated low for indigenous terrorism.  The only U.S./UN-recognized terrorist organization in China is the East Turkestan Islamic movement based in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in the western part of the country.  There are no current indications that the group intends to single out Americans in China for attack.

Based upon regular liaison activities with the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), U.S. Embassy Beijing believes that organized crime is a growing problem in China.  In addition to expressing concern over the persistent involvement of organized crime in traditional criminal activities such as extortion, theft, kidnapping, human smuggling, and drug trafficking, the MPS has cited the new trend of organized crime penetrating legitimate business as a looming problem confronting Chinese law enforcement.  Requests for investigations, received by the embassy from both the Chinese and U.S. sides, are reflective of the persistent and dynamic nature of the problem.

 

Violence stemming from financial motivations, extortion, and personal conflicts is not uncommon.  In the city of Jinan in July, a former high-ranking municipal official hired local police officers to murder his former mistress by detonating an improvised explosive device (IED) in her vehicle.  The ensuing blast killed the woman, destroyed her car, and injured local bystanders.  Of note, materials necessary to make IEDs are readily available in many metropolitan areas due to the presence of explosive materials used at construction sites.

 

 

 

 

 

A significant portion of China, including most of the east coast, is located within an active earthquake zone.  Much of China’s infrastructure is dated and not built to withstand an earthquake of sizeable magnitude.  The embassy believes that a large-scale earthquake or similar natural disaster would likely overwhelm local emergency services.  Cities along China’s southern coast are subject to heavy rainfall and flooding associated with typhoons in the late summer/early fall.

 

 

Industrial or labor-related accidents are common in China.  While the government recently reported that there was a drop in mine-related accidents in 2007, the safety standards are not comparable with those found in the West, and those that do exist are not enforced uniformly.

 

Commercial transportation accidents involving motorized vehicles are not uncommon.  Trucks are often overloaded and drivers are poorly trained.

 

 

 

The kidnapping of official American citizens in China is not a concern.  However, as noted above, the MPS believes that kidnappings related to organized crime are becoming more common.  Business disputes have also led to foreign partners being held hostage, threatened with violence or actually being assaulted.

 

 

 

Narco-terrorism is currently not an issue in China.  However, the sale, distribution, and use of narcotics are becoming more widespread in China and authorities view drug trafficking and abuse as major threats to the country’s national security, economy, and stability.

 

The most widely abused drug in China is heroin; however, in the past several years, there has been a notable upsurge in the consumption of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, ketamine, and crystal methamphetamine (aka, “ice”).  These synthetic drugs are popular among the young, and are often sold and consumed at entertainment locales, such as nightclubs and karaoke bars in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

 

 

 

All visitors should be aware that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public or private locations.  U.S. Embassy Beijing regularly receives reports of human and technical monitoring of U.S. private businessmen and visiting U.S. citizens.  The areas around U.S. and other foreign diplomatic facilities and residences are under overt physical and video surveillance – dozens of security personnel are posted outside of facilities and around residences, while video cameras are visible throughout the diplomatic quarter of Beijing.

 

All hotel rooms and offices are considered to be subject to on-site or remote technical monitoring at all times.  Hotel rooms, residences, and offices may be accessed at any time without the occupant’s consent or knowledge.  Elevators and public areas of housing compounds are also under continuous surveillance (physical and video).

 

Embassy employees are warned not to discuss classified or sensitive information in their homes, vehicles, or offices.  Members of the private sector are strongly urged to take similar precautions to safeguard sensitive, personal, and/or proprietary information.

 

All means of communication - telephones, cellular phones, faxes, email, text messages, etc., are likely monitored.  The Chinese government has access to the infrastructure operated by the limited number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and wireless providers operating in China.  Wireless access to the Internet in major metropolitan areas is becoming more and more common.  As such, the Chinese can more easily access official and personal computers. 

 

The Chinese government has publicly declared that it regularly monitors private email and Internet browsing through cooperation with local ISPs.  The government also employs several thousand individuals to police the Internet.  Bloggers are subject to particular scrutiny in China where such activity is usually not permitted and blog sites are, as a general rule, blocked.

 

 

 

Police response for foreign victims of crime depends upon the type of the infraction and where it transpired.  In general terms, urban police forces are better trained, equipped, and more efficient in processing criminal investigations.  Nevertheless, most forces have manpower or resource limitations.  Local police are semi-effective at deterring crime. Most responses to alarms/emergency calls are sufficiently prompt if it is known that a Westerner may be the victim.  Investigative training and forensic equipment remain substandard in comparison with Western countries.

 

If private U.S. citizens become the victims of crime, they should contact American Citizen Services (ACS) at the embassy or nearest consulate for assistance (contact information is listed below).  Officers can recommend appropriate medical facilities, notify family members, and explain how to transfer funds to China.

 

The direct emergency line for contacting the police in any city is 110 – English language capabilities are limited or non-existent.

 

 

 

Medical care continues to improve in many urban areas.  Some conditions that previously led to a medical evacuation can now be safely treated in-country.  It is recommended that American citizens use Western medical centers whenever possible or, when necessary, seek out the VIP section (“gao gan bing fang”) of the hospital where there are more likely to be Western-trained physicians and more modern medical equipment.

 

International SOS maintains a 24-hour call center for visitors to China.  SOS representatives will advise on the availability of care in most urban areas.  Contact information is as follows:

 

Beijing:  86-10-6462-9100

Shanghai:  86-21-6295-0099

Hong Kong:  852-2428-9900

USA:  800-523-6586

 

MEDEX also provides regional air ambulance services; its representatives can be contacted via the Internet at http://www.medexassist.com.

 

Ambulance service in China remains substandard.  Response time is typically very slow and transport to the nearest hospital can take a considerable amount of time due to congested traffic conditions.  Most ambulances are poorly equipped and staffed by individuals lacking EMT training akin to that found in the U.S. or Western Europe.

 

Air ambulance service varies by city.  SOS is the main Western air ambulance provider along China’s east coast, but does not actually maintain its own aircraft, electing instead to contract out services.  SOS notes that if one of its contract aircraft is not stationed at a given airport, it will likely take a minimum of six (6) hours to make one available.  Air ambulances are small (1 bed capacity) and expensive - $60,000-$100,000 per flight depending upon the patient’s condition and final medical evacuation location.  Visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance prior to traveling to China.

 

 

 

Travelers are strongly encouraged to be aware of their surroundings while in China.  Continued vigilance is necessary to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime.  As a general rule, lesser developed areas in major cities have a higher rate of crime.  Statistically, more crimes of opportunity transpire during early morning hours; for example, individuals who frequent bars, nightclubs, and similar establishments are more likely to be involved in physical altercations after midnight.

 

The embassy recommends that visitors keep money in more than one location, taking care to separate small and large denominations.  Men should place their wallets in front pickets, and women should drape the shoulder straps of purses across their body and keep purses in view and under positive control at all times.  If you use a backpack, do not place items of worth inside.

 

Travelers are encouraged to make copies of their passport photo page and visa, as well as credit card numbers; these copies should be stored in their hotel or residence in the event the actual items are stolen.

 

Public payphones are becoming less common in urban areas.  The embassy recommends that long-term visitors purchase cellular phones and that short-term travelers contact their cellular phone provider to determine if it provides coverage in both Mainland China and Hong Kong.

 

Individuals are encouraged to use official taxis (typically two-tone sedans) that employ meters.  If a driver refuses to use a meter, exit the vehicle and use another taxi.

 

Counterfeit products are readily available, but illegal to import into the United States.  U.S. Customs officials have the authority to seize suspect goods and impose finds on travelers caught attempting to enter the U.S. with counterfeit items.

 

 

 

The addresses and contact information for U.S. government facilities are listed below.  Normal hours of operations are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday-Friday.  Offices are normally closed for U.S. federal and Chinese holidays.

 

 

Address:  3 Xiu Shi Bei Jie, Beijing, 100600

Telephone:  86-10-6532-3431, 6532-3831; after hours 6532-1910

Fax:  86-10-6532-4153, 6532-3178

 

Address:  5^th floor of the Tianyu Garden building, #136-142 Linhe Zhong Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou

Telephone:  86-20-8121-8000, ext. 7605 or 86-20-581-7605; after hours 86-20-8121-6077

Fax:  86-20-3884-4410

 

Address:  1469 Hauihai Zhonglu, Shanghai 2000031

Telephone:  86-21-6433-6880; after hours 6433-3936

Fax:  86-21-6433-4122, 6471-1148

 

Address:  52 14^th Wei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003

Telephone:  86-24-2322-0848; after hours 86-0-13709889307

Fax:  86-24-2323-1465

 

 

 

Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai all have OSAC Councils.  The initial point of contact for each Council is the Regional Security Officer at each post who can be reached via the numbers listed above.  Names for each RSO are as follows:

 

RSO Beijing:  Barry Moore

RSO Guangzhou:  Gary Watson

RSO Shanghai:  Steven Chalupsky

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