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Quote:Once I landed there, I got to know some real movers and shakers in the city. One, the president of the AMCHAM,
All hail the President.
Considering how simple the process of getting yourself registered at the local Police station is, and how not having it when you need it can blow up in your face, I’d always recommend doing it. I only just recently had a situation arise over the Spring Festival where my then existing passport expired during the holiday whilst waiting for my new one to arrive. Thanks to the shutdown of everything during the holiday, I found myself having to write a ‘statement’ at the PSB explaining it all, in an attempt to escape a fine etc. I had to produce a copy of my registration alongside this statement. Long story short I escaped the fine, but I’m pretty sure had I had to explain why I was not in possession of a valid registration permit it would have been a different story.
Quote:Once I landed there, I got to know some real movers and shakers in the city. One, the president of the AMCHAM,All hail the President.
Considering how simple the process of getting yourself registered at the local Police station is, and how not having it when you need it can blow up in your face, I’d always recommend doing it. I only just recently had a situation arise over the Spring Festival where my then existing passport expired during the holiday whilst waiting for my new one to arrive. Thanks to the shutdown of everything during the holiday, I found myself having to write a ‘statement’ at the PSB explaining it all, in an attempt to escape a fine etc. I had to produce a copy of my registration alongside this statement. Long story short I escaped the fine, but I’m pretty sure had I had to explain why I was not in possession of a valid registration permit it would have been a different story.
Quote:I went to HK numerous times to renew, there was never a concern by an immigration officer when I came back over. I really don’t understand what you are talking about.I am talking about people with residence permits or visas obtained within the country as the original poster’s was. To obtain them you need to register at the local cop shop. They then have your details and expect you to go back and register again with your new visa number. If you do not they have been known to call and/or impose fines. It might be rare, but it does happen.
Quote:I went to HK numerous times to renew, there was never a concern by an immigration officer when I came back over. I really don’t understand what you are talking about.I am talking about people with residence permits or visas obtained within the country as the original poster’s was. To obtain them you need to register at the local cop shop. They then have your details and expect you to go back and register again with your new visa number. If you do not they have been known to call and/or impose fines. It might be rare, but it does happen.
I agree then Brandon. I am sure it’s a simple process, I guess it’s the old rebel in me! LOL Better to do it right than risk trouble later. Without going too far off topic, I did have problem coming back to the mainland from HK once. I had one of the older passports without the new digital pic and chip. I didn’t keep my passport in a nice wrapper either; just stuffed it in my pocket whenever I took it with me. Well, an edge of the plastic near the right side next to the picture began to pucker on the ID page and sure enough, they detained me at Shenzhen for…about an 1 1/2 hours. So I finally had enough and pulled out the before mentioned President’s business card, along with the Consulate Gen. card and showed the SOB and told him “Call these people, they can verify who I am”. In five minutes they let me through. I only mentioned the AMCHAM guy because you know as well as I do that important GUANXI both foreign and Chinese goes a very long way when you get in trouble! 😉
I agree then Brandon. I am sure it’s a simple process, I guess it’s the old rebel in me! LOL Better to do it right than risk trouble later. Without going too far off topic, I did have problem coming back to the mainland from HK once. I had one of the older passports without the new digital pic and chip. I didn’t keep my passport in a nice wrapper either; just stuffed it in my pocket whenever I took it with me. Well, an edge of the plastic near the right side next to the picture began to pucker on the ID page and sure enough, they detained me at Shenzhen for…about an 1 1/2 hours. So I finally had enough and pulled out the before mentioned President’s business card, along with the Consulate Gen. card and showed the SOB and told him “Call these people, they can verify who I am”. In five minutes they let me through. I only mentioned the AMCHAM guy because you know as well as I do that important GUANXI both foreign and Chinese goes a very long way when you get in trouble! 😉
Quote:I guess it’s the old rebel in me! LOLHence forth you shall be known as ‘The Fonz’. Or Benny Hill. I’m undecided.
Quote:I guess it’s the old rebel in me! LOLHence forth you shall be known as ‘The Fonz’. Or Benny Hill. I’m undecided.
Quote:I don’t get your connection with the local police and the visa. Now the PSB is another story. I know the PSB well. But local police???PSB is the local police!
Quote:When a foreigner first comes to China they are told to register with the police. Like neighborhood police. If you live there. Nobody I know ever did it. They still do not.It’s required by law, and they will check it when you apply to renew your visa or apply for a new one. You bring your rental contract to the PSB and tell them where you live along with a photocopy of your passport and they give you a stamped document that you give to whomever is processing your visa.
Quote:I mean, Guangzhou was the original point of entry/trade for foreigners before Hong Kong existed.Interesting that you mention the history of Hong Kong as a point of entry into China, because it was first visited and colonized by Portugese in 1513, exactly 500 years ago. I wonder if they observe that in Hong Kong.
Quote:I only mentioned the AMCHAM guy because you know as well as I do that important GUANXI both foreign and Chinese goes a very long way when you get in trouble!I don’t think AMCHAM really qualifies as guanxi in China, they are not a diplomatic entity that represents the US government. It sounds more official than it is – they are an American Conservative lobbying group. For maximum guanxi points you want to befriend local government or police, people within the entry/exit bureau, etc. A lot of those guys are very accessible, even if you teach English to their kids – as long as they know you and you know them. The best situation though, of course, is to not get yourself into situations where you need guanxi!
Quote:I don’t get your connection with the local police and the visa. Now the PSB is another story. I know the PSB well. But local police???PSB is the local police!
Quote:When a foreigner first comes to China they are told to register with the police. Like neighborhood police. If you live there. Nobody I know ever did it. They still do not.It’s required by law, and they will check it when you apply to renew your visa or apply for a new one. You bring your rental contract to the PSB and tell them where you live along with a photocopy of your passport and they give you a stamped document that you give to whomever is processing your visa.
Quote:I mean, Guangzhou was the original point of entry/trade for foreigners before Hong Kong existed.Interesting that you mention the history of Hong Kong as a point of entry into China, because it was first visited and colonized by Portugese in 1513, exactly 500 years ago. I wonder if they observe that in Hong Kong.
Quote:I only mentioned the AMCHAM guy because you know as well as I do that important GUANXI both foreign and Chinese goes a very long way when you get in trouble!I don’t think AMCHAM really qualifies as guanxi in China, they are not a diplomatic entity that represents the US government. It sounds more official than it is – they are an American Conservative lobbying group. For maximum guanxi points you want to befriend local government or police, people within the entry/exit bureau, etc. A lot of those guys are very accessible, even if you teach English to their kids – as long as they know you and you know them. The best situation though, of course, is to not get yourself into situations where you need guanxi!
My place got burgled just before spring festival. police came to investigate. Guess what little piece of paper they asked to see…?
My place got burgled just before spring festival. police came to investigate. Guess what little piece of paper they asked to see…?
Quote:My place got burgled just before spring festival. police came to investigate. Guess what little piece of paper they asked to see…?You just reminded me. About 5 years ago I had an electric bike stolen from within my apartment compound. It was clearly an inside job. I reported it to the police stupidly thinking they might actually do something about it. They were more concerned with if I had registered or not and whether my visa was the correct type than what had happened to my e-bike. I’m sure that if I hadn’t registered they would have fined me. That would have really made my day!
Quote:My place got burgled just before spring festival. police came to investigate. Guess what little piece of paper they asked to see…?You just reminded me. About 5 years ago I had an electric bike stolen from within my apartment compound. It was clearly an inside job. I reported it to the police stupidly thinking they might actually do something about it. They were more concerned with if I had registered or not and whether my visa was the correct type than what had happened to my e-bike. I’m sure that if I hadn’t registered they would have fined me. That would have really made my day!
Actually, i was pretty impressed with the police response. They seemed to have established a mini-task force devoted to finding my stolen computer. One interesting question from the investigator: “Have you given your key to any girls?” Potential suspects: zero!
RE: inside job: yeah, i have my suspicions too. Kinda fishy situation. Someone knew it was the night i get back late….merry spring festival “security guards”!
Actually, i was pretty impressed with the police response. They seemed to have established a mini-task force devoted to finding my stolen computer. One interesting question from the investigator: “Have you given your key to any girls?” Potential suspects: zero!
RE: inside job: yeah, i have my suspicions too. Kinda fishy situation. Someone knew it was the night i get back late….merry spring festival “security guards”!
TO Brendan: HAHA! Nice meme…you really do not appreciate who he is, I understand. To really understand the why of it. This isn’t like AMCHAM in say, Ohio. Harley took over the AMCHAM of South China in 2002. Within one year he made it the fastest growing AMCHAM in the world. The next year he hosted the World AMCHAM convention in Shenzhen. Remember, the Pearl River Delta is the key manufacturing area of the entire country, and The Trade Fair in Guangzhou is now the largest in the world. So there are LOTS of Chinese big shots who are members of AMCHAM. Harley is also the president of Sithe Global Pacific (did I hear a disturbance in the force?), a company that builds POWER PLANTS throughout Asia. He is CEO of First Washington Group; First Washington’s expertise includes development, financing, construction, ownership, and operation of power plants, toll roads, water and environmental systems.
So yeah, I’m proud to be his friend, and very glad he’s mine. Harley. He’s possibly the most influential American in China currently.
*PLEASE REMOVE PREVIOUS POST–WiFi went down during edit–THANKS
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TO Brendan: HAHA! Nice meme…you really do not appreciate who he is, I understand. Chengdu is a bit of a backwater compared to Guangzhou.
To really understand the why of it. This isn’t like AMCHAM in say, Ohio. When Seyedin became president of the chamber in South China, it had 211 members and quote “had, literally, a cardboard sign in the window” of its one-room office. Today it has more than 2,000 members and has a GLISTENING NEW TOWER named after it in the Pazhou area of the Haizhu district of Guangzhou.
Remember, the Pearl River Delta is the key manufacturing area of the entire country, and The Trade Fair in Guangzhou is now the largest in the world. So there are LOTS of Chinese big shots who are members of AMCHAM.
Harley is also the president of Sithe Global Pacific (did I hear a disturbance in the force?), a company that builds POWER PLANTS throughout Asia.
He is CEO of First Washington Group; First Washington’s expertise includes development, financing, construction, ownership, and operation of power plants, toll roads, water and environmental systems.
So yeah, I’m proud to be his friend, and very glad he’s mine. Harley. He’s possibly the most influential American in China currently.
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