Foreigners targeted in China crackdown
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Beijing started campaign to "clean out" expatriates illegally living or working in Chinese capital
- There are almost 200,000 foreign residents in Beijing on short-term or long-term visas
- Chinese citizens an call a telephone hotline to report "suspicious foreigners"
- Analysts wonder whether this is a measure to ensure stability before leadership change
Editor's note: "Jaime's China" is a weekly column about Chinese society and politics. Jaime FlorCruz has lived and worked in China since 1971. He studied Chinese history at Peking University (1977-81) and was TIME Magazine's Beijing correspondent and bureau chief (1982-2000).
Beijing (CNN) -- "Does this mean I must now carry my passport everyday?" my wife Ana wondered aloud with a mix of bemusement and exasperation.
She was reacting to news reports that Beijing had started a 100-day campaign to "clean out" expatriates illegally living or working in the Chinese capital.
Until the end of August the Beijing Public Security Bureau has decreed that all resident foreigners are expected to show their passports for "spot checks" of visas and resident permits.
Hinting at stern measures for violators, a campaign poster features an image of a giant fist.
Police have conducted a sweep of communities where expatriates frequently congregate, like the university belt and the Sanlitun district of the city, which boasts an eclectic array of shops, restaurants and bars.
But finding violators may not be easy. There are almost 200,000 foreign residents in Beijing on short-term or long-term visas, according to the Beijing Morning Post, which quotes police sources.Turmoil and intrigue bubble in China
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