Police in Lushun

[stoney]

I was visiting Dalian last week and we took a trip to a place nearbye called Lushun. We went to see an old Russian prison that the Japanese had used during their occupation of the area. It is a big tourist site. Before we could get through the gate, a plain clothes security pulled us aside, then we were taken to the police station, and fined 500 yuan each for being foreigners in a restricted area. There were no signs to be seen, and my Chinese friend and the taxi driver from Dalian both knew nothing about this. They were also fined. There are naval bases in the area but this place looked very innocent.

I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else here. Do you think it's legitimate or just a case of bad cops?

[MalcolmHsie]

It's likely to be a case of bad cops.

[anonymoose]

I'm affraid Lüshun is off-limits to foreigners. I guess quite a number of foreign tourists fall into this trap, as it is difficult to find out about this in advance. I'm surprised that your taxi driver did not know about it, however.

I think this is a stupid regulation on the part of the authorities. What is it they're trying to achieve? You will only get caught if you look foreign - any ethnically Chinese foreigner would have no problem in Lüshun, and neither would a lot of people from other Asian countries with a similar appearance to Chinese people.

It's funny how the cops are so willing to take action when money's involved. I don't know about your specific case, but I wouldn't be susprised if the cops just take advantage of this regulation to pocket the cash themselves.

[stoney]

I'm thinking maybe the 'police' took down all the warning signs that the authorities might have originally posted.

Anyways, be careful if you are in that area.

[simonlaing]

Hey anonymoose,

I had a fellow English teacher (who happenned to be an ex-naval officer) and his Chinese wife go through something weird like this too.

He was on a big two bus 20 person tour of Henan a central province. Much of the tour was about the countryside and he was snapping pictures and videoing a lot. As they were passing one of the major Cities Zhengzhou I think an army car can an stopped them. They took my friend and his wife to the local police station and questioned them for a few hours.

It appears that they were passing a restricted military area that westerner were not allowed to visit, and the cameras and video equipment made them suspects as spies. Since his wife was Chinese and he'd been living in China for many years , they finally bought his story about just being on a Tour.

They didn't let them continue with Tour however, even though they had 3 days left of planned traveling. He and his wife were forced to take a taxi back to next major city where they took a plane back to Nanjing. They did get some money back from the Tour company who were just as surprised as them , and was very sorry about craziness inflicted on them.

It is fine for ordinary Chinese to tour military base areas but not Foreigners. Very strange .

ANyway, this has been the exception, That and they didn't let me cut through an army base in Nanjing. when I was randomly riding around. The guard are actually watching though they may look like they are sleeping standing up.

have fun,

Simon:)

[roddy]

Reminded me of this one.

The police are no doubt right that you aren't meant to be there, but fining people 500Y for stepping into an unmarked forbidden area must be a nice little money earner. Wonder how much they fine real spies.

[liuzhou]

I spent a couple of years living and teaching in a heavily military area (one of China's top nuclear bases was opposite the college). The area was generally closed to laowai, but I had permission to be there. That said, I was told that there were certain places I could not go.

Being anxious not to offend, I asked, "Where can't I go?"

"Sorry. We can't tell you. It's a secret."

So I changed tack. "Where can I go?"

"The places which are not forbidden."

That clarified everything.

So I went pretty much anywhere I wanted.

[simonlaing]

haha liuzhen,

Your story made me laugh. It reminded me of a teacher who was told he was fired but being kept on for one more month until they could find a replacement.

When he ask why he was being fired they wouldn't tell him. Because they couldn't find another Western teacher they kept him on for another 2 years and fired the manager.

He is still the weirdest teacher I have met in China.