edition.cnn.com/[...]

Not because I don't have my 'papers' rather, because of the reasons some of the long time residence stated.

There's crackdown in Isreal on Africans.
www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120525/ml-israel-migrants/

If any Govt running dog and their PSB thugs on the streets ask you for your passport never, ever give it to them to keep, just give them "scanned copies, missing #'s. if they demand your real thing call your embassy and demand their presence.

If you have a Resident permit or drivers license you can give copies of them too, but never your originals.

If you are working legally, call your foreign affairs boss to support you.

If your illegal your fucked, so ignore the above.

They will most likely copy anything original and it will be sold to others.

Why are they thugs? Do they beat you when they ask to see your working papers? I have found police officers to be very polite and respectful and civilized. But I've only ever had one or two encounters and that was previous to this situation.

One of the expats in the article claims there is hostility, but the article fails to elaborate on the nature of any alleged hostility. And the article also conspicuously neglects to mention his legal status.

I think a lot of people don't understand the complexities of running a country. Don't you think the govt needs to keep an eye on foreigners to check what they're doing here? It's perfectly legitimate.

And the fact is that the laws regarding visas have been too relaxed in the past. So foreigners here on invalid visas for years are now complaining because they're used to the old system. But if your papers are in order, I don't think there is any improper treatment of foreigners taking place. I could be wrong, but this article hasn't convinced me there is. And if there is, it is reason for concern.

You linked an article from CNN, a US propaganda mouthpiece that is more than happy to taint China in a negative light every opportunity it gets.

Yeah, China is 'bad' because they're cracking down on foreigners working illegally. Thank God for CNN or I'd be lost!

I have never had any hostility either.
Having said that I am not hostile to them either.

I will have to agree that my encounters with police in China have all been neutral or helpful. Beijing should have a very professional police/civil service by now, so hopefully these document checks will become routine and boring after two weeks. Still, I'm glad Kunming is far away from all that, and hoping the mountains are high enough here. They weren't for Chengdu.

www.china.org.cn/china/2012-05/15/content_25384258.htm

And I'm sure the hundreds and thousands of illegal Chinese immigrants living abroad,will agree with you, apart from document checking bit.

There seems to be an escalation of violence against expats in Beijing.

www.cityweekend.com.cn/[...]

a predictable escalation.those guys who chased and beat them are the type of scum that can be found in any country but this is undoubtedly bad news for expats... especially in Beijing.

Kudos to the Chinese couple that got out of their car to stop the fight.