Combatting criminals and criminal behavior
As a foreigner in China, I am sure that me stopping criminals and criminal behavior will go over really well with Chinese people.
Beijing is on a regulating roll.
In an ongoing effort to manage public behavior, public administrators have published an online questionnaire about punishable ‘uncivilized’ conduct. On Aug 5, residents awoke to an intricate survey doing the rounds of social media, which lists 19 officially disapproved activities as well as condemnation of several cornerstones of Beijing behavior such as spitting on the streets, square dancing, making noise at sporting events, and (no surprise here) the Beijing bikini. Food wastage and seat-stealing have also joined the list of no-nos in the ever-growing push to refine public manners, with violators facing a range of penalties, from mild chastisement and community service to the possibility of detainment.
On the flip side, authorities are also seeking to encourage ‘civilized’ conduct. Alongside bad behaviors, the survey lists 12 approved activities in conspicuously flowery language as well as how they intend to reward such behavior. Fiscal compensation, a bolstered social credit score, and more are all on the table.
Beijing is but one of several Chinese cities currently undergoing social scrutiny and increased regulation. Earlier this summer, Shandong province's capital Jinan made headlines around the world for being the first city in China to roll out fines for the beloved Beijing bikini, while Shanghai began enforcing mindbogglingly complex citywide recycling requirements. Beijing, meanwhile, recently introduced new regulations on unseemly behavior on public transport and in public spaces, a move that garnered a mixed reaction from netizens, especially since many believed one of the rules – no dogs from parks – had been in place for a long time already.
In the past, the effectiveness of Beijing’s bans has been shaky to say the least (it took at least four attempts to properly ban smoking inside) and largely reliant on the support of grassroots groups or individual volunteers to nark on fellow citizens and implicate fines. However, with the social credit system set for nationwide implementation, a bright future awaits for Beijing’s behavioral regulations, even if it doesn't for many of our favorite pastimes.
Brush up and avoid the ire of your neighbors by quitting these behaviors:
Get in the government's good books by partaking in these behaviors:
If you would like to prove your unwavering civility, take the survey for yourself here (in Chinese).
READ: Who Let the Dogs Out? Beijing Bans Dogs From Public Parks, Again
Images: Baidu
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