> what is the story with no more visa extensions for tourist visas?
Some foreigners were denied 30 day extensions last week, and were told they didn't show sufficient evidence there weren't flights to their home country.
Since then, other foreigners have been granted 30 day extensions. Not sure exactly what's going on here, but they have apparently not stopped issuing the extensions altogether.
> will 10 year visas still be valid?
If you're currently outside the country with a 10 year visa, it will be valid once the borders fully reopen to tourists, but it won't get you into China right now.
> where can we find the official government policy?
Good question. There have been official announcements about no longer being able to enter China with a visa issued before March 28, and about the blanket 60 day extension granted to most people, but there has been no national policy announcement about visas since.
Note that every province and municipality has the power to grant extensions and interpret the rules, so you'll see different situations around the country.
>
are visa runs still possible?
No. Most of the borders are effectively closed or greatly restricted, and people on tourist and other short term visas are not being let into China. This is why people with multi-year tourist visas are suddenly needing to apply for 30 day extensions.
Three things are going on right now to make this the perfect storm of road work and beautification projects:
- Economic stimulus, with tons of funds being released to get ordinary workers back to work and spending money.
- The Civilized City campaign: Kunming has tried, and failed, to earn the Civilized City designation several times now.
- COP 15, the UN summit on biodiversity. Was slated for this October, but postponed due to COVID. Currently scheduled for next May. Multiple heads of state are expected to attend.
European nationals with a valid residence permit (for work and certain other purposes) will now be allowed to apply for a new visa to re-enter China. They will still be subject to COVID testing and quarantine requirements.
Those whose residence permits have recently expired are not covered by this announcement as of yet.
@Mildred: not really adding much to the conversation there...
I haven't found any official notice, but I've been told by a few sources that the government is planning to overhaul the student visa system, and has suspended all new non-degree student visas until the new rules can be finalized.
Hopefully those who wish to continue studies can hold out on the temporary stay extensions until this is resolved.
It's quite likely that a lot of programs and private schools will lose their ability to sponsor visas, though. A lot of schools are holding their breath right now.
It's not the front desk clerks making things up. They have the authentication requirements because the local PSBs can't be trusted to recognize the authenticity of documents from a hundred countries with different bureaucratic systems around the world. The goal is to get a stamp on it that they themselves can check.
The last time I had to go through all this, I had documents authenticated by my home state, with the Secretary of State's signature and seal verified by the Chinese consulate covering that region (they have these on file for the states in their consular district), and the local PSB clerks could easily identify the consulate's seal.
All of this would be much easier if China just signed up for the apostille system, but the clerks at the Kunming PSB have no say in the matter.
Not sure about voting, but I do know about the archive. Yunfest keeps an archive of films at the Yunnan Provincial Library, including many of the films from their previous festivals. You can't take them out of the library, but there is a small private screening room on the premises. Alternatively, you can catch some of the older films during the regular Sunday screenings at Yuansheng Theater, which should resume after the festival.
It sounds like a great idea. Kunming has always been the center for training Chinese professional cyclists, and I'm constantly running into large groups of local hobbyists when I'm riding around the surrounding mountains.
The one thing I'd wonder about is how manageable such a large management structure would be. Sounds a bit like herding cats. Marc should keep a close eye on how the management works at that football club.
As for traffic, it does blow, but it gets a lot better once you're out of the city and up on the mountains.
I've been following these comments rather closely as the attack happened just a few days before I went home for the holidays, and I feel a bit cut off.
I read the comments that were removed and they contained profanity, threats and overall very negative and insulting stuff. If those people had dissenting political views that were expressed in rational, respectful terms, then I would have been against removing them. But the vitriol contained in them threatened to drag the entire forum down into an increasingly ugly flame war. I think their deletion was a good idea.
I understand your frustration, and for the most part, agree with you. However, I don't think comments should be strictly limited to information about the incident, because I don't think we as readers will be able to come up with anything more than what's already been said, and I think there's a need among people in the community to come to terms with the incident emotionally.
Having said that, I think that it was right for the editors to delete bigoted or threatening posts, because those aren't helping anybody.
@ the ether:
There is anti-foreign sentiment out there, and while some of that might be the result of drunken antics or bad behavior in the community, a lot of it is linked to international political incidents or other things beyond our control. Regardless of the source, none of that makes the bombing our fault. I strive to be respectful of others in all of my affairs, and I push my friends to do the same, not to avoid becoming the target of an attack, but because that is how I was raised.
A lot of us, myself included, have an instinctive urge to respond angrily to negative posts or insinuations that we are all a bunch of jackasses who deserve it. Let's all try to keep cool heads when dealing with this stuff. Perhaps we might be able to change a few minds in the process.
Following along the lines of Timkunming, I'm amazed that the international press hasn't picked up this story as well. In fact, I've been doing frequent web searches and haven't turned up anything beyond the expat blogs.
The police may have a lot of pressure from government departments above them, but so far no one from the press is there to breath down their necks. If we want to hear anything at all about the results of the investigation, we need the international press asking questions. Start writing those letters to the editors, people.
An exciting new gallery space built from an old factory warehouse in the Paoluda Creative Industry Park. Looking forward to seeing what they'll do with it.
Yunfest 2009: What to watch out for
Posted byNot sure about voting, but I do know about the archive. Yunfest keeps an archive of films at the Yunnan Provincial Library, including many of the films from their previous festivals. You can't take them out of the library, but there is a small private screening room on the premises. Alternatively, you can catch some of the older films during the regular Sunday screenings at Yuansheng Theater, which should resume after the festival.
Kunming-based project aims to make cycling history
Posted byIt sounds like a great idea. Kunming has always been the center for training Chinese professional cyclists, and I'm constantly running into large groups of local hobbyists when I'm riding around the surrounding mountains.
The one thing I'd wonder about is how manageable such a large management structure would be. Sounds a bit like herding cats. Marc should keep a close eye on how the management works at that football club.
As for traffic, it does blow, but it gets a lot better once you're out of the city and up on the mountains.
Kunming stunned by cafe bombing
Posted byI've been following these comments rather closely as the attack happened just a few days before I went home for the holidays, and I feel a bit cut off.
I read the comments that were removed and they contained profanity, threats and overall very negative and insulting stuff. If those people had dissenting political views that were expressed in rational, respectful terms, then I would have been against removing them. But the vitriol contained in them threatened to drag the entire forum down into an increasingly ugly flame war. I think their deletion was a good idea.
Kunming stunned by cafe bombing
Posted by@ Dre:
I understand your frustration, and for the most part, agree with you. However, I don't think comments should be strictly limited to information about the incident, because I don't think we as readers will be able to come up with anything more than what's already been said, and I think there's a need among people in the community to come to terms with the incident emotionally.
Having said that, I think that it was right for the editors to delete bigoted or threatening posts, because those aren't helping anybody.
@ the ether:
There is anti-foreign sentiment out there, and while some of that might be the result of drunken antics or bad behavior in the community, a lot of it is linked to international political incidents or other things beyond our control. Regardless of the source, none of that makes the bombing our fault. I strive to be respectful of others in all of my affairs, and I push my friends to do the same, not to avoid becoming the target of an attack, but because that is how I was raised.
A lot of us, myself included, have an instinctive urge to respond angrily to negative posts or insinuations that we are all a bunch of jackasses who deserve it. Let's all try to keep cool heads when dealing with this stuff. Perhaps we might be able to change a few minds in the process.
Report: Cafe bomber confesses to bus bombing
Posted byFollowing along the lines of Timkunming, I'm amazed that the international press hasn't picked up this story as well. In fact, I've been doing frequent web searches and haven't turned up anything beyond the expat blogs.
The police may have a lot of pressure from government departments above them, but so far no one from the press is there to breath down their necks. If we want to hear anything at all about the results of the investigation, we need the international press asking questions. Start writing those letters to the editors, people.