That's a terrible point of view. Who is he supposed to ask these questions that would be absolutely ridiculous to ask in any developed country? Heck, I can't think of any country in the world where staying at AirBNB would be an issue, and why shouldn't he be paranoid when they so easily could pull up info about when/where he stayed there.. Does the airport security also have a list of Chinese girls the visiting foreigners have engaged sexual relations with? How long until they start rejecting foreigners when they have slept with >50 Chinese girls?
I'm sorry, but I fail to see your point. This does not have anything to do with his sexual relationships so I am unsure of why you are making that analogy. It is completely usual to have to declare your place of residence to an immigration officer upon entry to a foreign country, wherever you are visiting. If you are suspected of wrongdoing, expect calls to be made and questions to be asked.
It is entirely the traveler's responsibility to understand the requirements for stay and local laws of a foreign country. Ignorance can only get you so far.
The immigration officer – who has absolute power over entry – neither asked anything unreasonable of him nor made any false accusations. This is despite the reporter technically having broken the law. He got off lightly, since the fine for not registering within 24 hours after arrival can be up to $300.
It's usual to declare where you are staying, it isn't usual to have to register with the local authorities in every place you do. I do accept it, countries have different rules and cultures. Foreigners do end up breaking such local rules when going abroad, including the Chinese. But doing so shouldn't result in being banished from the country. Imagine driving into Austria without a toll sticker and no longer being able to get a Schengen visa. Of course we don't know the full story. Hopefully this is more about the authors situation than something that will become commonplace.
It may be annoying or inconvenient, but China is not the only country a requirement to register with the local authorities. The fact that it applies to all types of visas may throw some travelers off. Still, it is their responsibility to make sure (preferably before arrival) that the requirements for entry are met.
When you break the rules (intentionally or not), you're taking a risk. Some people get off unnoticed whereas others learn the hard way. Ask people familiar with the country and its laws before arrival and plan your trip properly.
So whenever you visit a country then you spend several months reading up on all their local laws? Do they even have an official English version, or do you hire a translator? Here's a question for you, what's the Chinese law regarding the use of a VPN/proxy? Does the law differ based on when/where you used the VPN and what it was used for?
The sexual relationships is relevant because foreigners in China have a reputation of sleeping with a lot of girls, and this leads to a lot of resentment from many of the Chinese. If they at the airport can so easily see when/where a foreigner stayed at an AirBNB, then you have to wonder what other info these people, as well as the embassy people approving VISAs, can see. They do not need to give a reason for denying entry, so it seems it's only a matter of time before they're provided with even more private info that will most definitely be used against foreigners.
Well, usually I will ask friends or colleagues who have experience of that country. But if not then yes, I will spend an evening reading up on the country and its rules/customs while planning my trip. I don't know a sensible traveler who doesn't.
Spending an evening reading up on the country may result in you becoming familiar with the punishment of insulting the Thai king, or the risk of engaging in protests or anything political in China, but that's about it.. regarding China, you can't even Google the laws concerning VPN/proxy. You even give an example yourself of you failing to read up on the rules. There are millions of laws, many of which are not even available in English. You can't possibly expect people to become familiar with countries laws.. that would take months and you could still get fucked for no reason. People rely on common sense, and common sense tells you that if AirBNB is available in X country and you have no problem booking the apartment, then that's that.
The only terrible point of view I see is yours. Claiming to be morally superior because you view the law is not to your advantage. The rules are there for a country to keep track visitors. They exist elsewhere as well.
Most people rely on common sense when they travel - don't do drugs, don't steal, don't engage in physical fights, etc. And in my eyes, that's the only way. Are you saying you read the millions of laws of the country whenever you travel somewhere? Laws that may not even be available in English.
Tell me, which countries have you visited throughout your life, and what does the law state regarding staying at an AirBNB residence at each of these countries? Would be great if you could provide official source as well, I mean it sounds like it's very easy for you to look it up, so I assume you don't mind. If you don't want to reveal your travel history, then you can use this list: Germany, France, Iceland, Ukraine, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, Cambodia, Japan.
I have experience of Thailand and Japan so can chime in.
Thailand does not require registration, but authorities prevent travelers from re-entering shortly after their stay (cracking down on "visa runs") which has caught some tourists/nomads off guard. The strictest punishment is banishment for a maximum of 10 (IIRC) years.
Like China, Japan requires registration with the local city office if you are staying with a long-term visa. Although it should be noted that China applies this to all visa types whereas Japan allows tourists to stay without registration. Failing to register with the local Japanese city office can result in banishment.
As with registration in China, you are not told this information upon entry of these countries. If you blindly travel you will be caught out (and usually punished). However, asking around and doing the research before you travel can prevent that from happening.
Why would they want to crack down on visa runs? Those people doesn't take any jobs from the locals, and I'd assume they spend as much as any other foreigners.. seems like a win-win?
I've spent about 10 years living in various Asian countries, including China, and I have never met anyone who would bother to register whenever they changed apartment. I'm also certain if I asked all my contacts in China, then none of them would know anything about it.. and I'm talking about hundreds of people, including students/professors at their best universities. You greatly overestimate the amount of info you can get by doing research/asking around when you go abroad.
