I read this article today on CNN and found it somewhat disturbing.

edition.cnn.com/[...]

Part of what bothers me is that I should be carrying all sorts of documentation with my, like my passport (and visa). I NEVER take my passport out of the safe unless I'm going to the passport office, visa office or police stations.

Does anybody know if it's actually law that I have to carry all this stuff around with me? That would be immensely inconvenient. I often go out without even carrying cash, since it's just too easy to have it stolen. Losing a passport would be more difficult than losing cash, so I'm not about to start unless absolutely necessary.

Does anybody have an experience with this?

Carry nothing more than scanned copies of your "Resident book" and "visa" if you are a expat, if a tourist a scanned copy of your passport (blank out the numbers), do not ever carry your originals in the streets.
If you have a Chinese drivers license you can however carry that.

If you are travelling and need to carry the originals, keep it in your "money panties" I shit you not.

With the rampant theft around here there is no way I would carry originals... the mafan of having to replace them is just too great. Especially since there are no consulates in Kmg, one would have to travel to the closest consulate/embassy of their home country with no papers...

I would rather deal with a grumpy police officer and explain to them why I don't carry the originals.

Having to carry ID documents (either as a local or laowai) is not new, but in the past you would have been unlucky to be caught out. If Kunming starts random checks of Laowai then that could all change soon.

If the police can't identify you they have the power to keep you locked up until somewhere brings your documents. I was looking at a fight on Wenlin Jie one night and one of the policemen involved casually told me that "he knew I had my passport copy in my wallet" so there was no need to ask to see it,,, I went home and made a copy,,

Having a passport photocopy on your person is a good idea.

Not carrying cash is not smart. I am not sure how the Chinese may chose to use vagrancy laws.

Chinese drivers license is very useful. It's good enough to get by most random inspections. Also makes checking into hotels much easier. Even if you don't drive, I would get one as they are good for 5+ years.

It has your passport number on it and address that is verified by residency department. If you back it up with a paper copy or smartphone pic of your passport and visa, it's quite effective.

It's always wise to tuck away one 50rmb note somewhere. It's a small enough amount that if you "lose" it, you won't give it a second thought. But it's a big enough amount to get you a meal and cab home in Kunming.

The USA has a passport ID Card issued by the state dept (which you must buy). That should suffice until you get your REAL passport from home but again, depends on whether the cops wanna harrass you. Being polite and apologetic goes a LONG way regardless of venue.

The ID Card is good for nothing overseas and is only occasionally good for Canada and Mexico border crossings - pedestrian and automobile - NOT for air travel.