I don't understand what all the hoopla is. So China is thinking about enforcing its 2 A.M. closing laws and performance / liquor licensing requirements. How is that "a communist country suppressing its people and business" as someone had commented here? And as for the club owner who is complaining that the officials showed up one day and shut him down without prior notice for violating the performance license requirement, my reaction is: "what the hell are you complaining about?" I know there is due process of law but you are violating a statute! You should already be on notice, or do you have problem reading?
Also, this whole griping about the visa issue is ridiculous. China is tightening visa controls for two reasons. 1: to tighten security for the Olympics in the face of a mounting wave of global terrorism; 2: to weed out some of the less desirable foreign expatriate elements. I believe that most of the people complaining are those who do not have any legitimacy working or being in China. Take for example the significant English teaching expatriates, many of those making a living teaching English in China are not qualified to be teachers! Many of them had rudimentary education back home and some didn't even finish high school. Some are not even native speakers! It's pretty ridiculous and how is China at fault for upping its visa requirements to seek proof of a proper teaching background before granting a visa? Everyone that has a legitimate sponsorship (government, corporations, NGOs) has had no problems getting a visa. China just wanted to keep a few bums out! Seems like the US and Europe have been doing that for ages with a much more stringent visa requirement.
One last thing, I must comment on the sensationalistic elements of the media. It seems to me that many reporters believe that there is a contingent of readers out there who will react to anything about China, even if it is completely ordinary events like the ones described in this article. What happened to in-depth, responsible media reporting? Why don???t they delve into exactly who is being denied of visas and why? Why don???t they report on all different viewpoints and voices? What's going on with the editors at Newsweek??? Better get the quality up or Newsweek may someday become another US or Enquirer in terms of readership.
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