Where in Kunming can one get the 'criminal background check' outline in the article?

@Liumingke1234

Specifically in what article?

This one.
english.gov.cn/[...]

It is called the Police Criminal Clearance(PPC)

It says "issued by a Chinese embassy or consulate.", so I'd bet it is the same no-criminal certificate as is needed for regular work visa.

Obtained from your home country or a country with your long-time residence, and legalized by the Chinese consulate in that country.

I suspect that if this current long-time residence is in China, you still need to get the certificate from your previous domicile, because Chinese authorities can no doubt find your (no) criminal history in China on their own.

I think this is different in that it a criminal clearance while you are in China. I could be wrong.
They can perform this service for you.
www.visainchina.com/nocriminal.htm

Right, I think that particular certificate would be used abroad, if you apply for work/whatever there and need to prove that you are not criminal in China.

I actually got one. This based on being married to a Chinese citizen.
Procedure took nearly two years so quite a bit longer then the six month stated.

The “No criminal record certificate” is one from your home country which has to be legalised by your own ministry of foreign affairs and then by the Chinese embassy in that country. You will need one as well from every country you have lived in during the last 10 years before coming to China if that stay was longer than 2 years.

What is not in the document referred to above is that you will have to freeze a 100,000 RMB on a Chinese bank for a year when applying (apart from the proof of income or savings).

I asked how many persons actually got a permanent residence card and was told that in Kunming there are about 120 issued so far of which about 40 based on marriage. Nearly all of the later group are marriages between Chinese citizens and overseas Chinese. I seem to be the exception to the rule.

The length of the application processing seems to be always nearly two years and my case was not an exception.

Permanent in this case is 10 years. Renewal is expected to be easier.

@liuer2

Congratulations both for the residence, and more importantly for being probably the first foreigner here to describe your experience directly to wider public.

I'd like to know if you owned (or were required to own) property in your name in Kunming (or elsewhere in China)?

Or was that 100,000RMB perhaps required in case of not owning property and renting instead?

The frozen 100,000 is a guarantee of having your own funds and is not related to having property here. I do have an apartment however as well here that is registered in my name but this is not a requirement.