:: Latest OPINION replies

My first visit here was in 1999.Since 2005 I`ve spent my winters here,in my own apt , with my Chinese wife.My plans - as I grow older - was to stay here more permanently.This would require a residence permit.Which I now realize I will never get,even though,as a retired person, I just want to quietly stay here and use my money for the benefit of the local community. "China is not an immigration country" was the curt answer I got from someone who knows about such things.IF I want to continue coming in the future in will always be a one-time event.And I`ll every time be dependent on the goodwill of the powers who decide to give - or not give - me a visa . I don`t know if this is one of the reasons I find more and more of the laoways I have come to know over the years now leaving China,saying it has become increasingly difficult, in many ways, to stay here.So they`re off , back to their home countries , or to Malaysia,Vietnam and Cambodia . Places that seemingly have a more welcoming attitude to foreigners. In Europe,some countries are now actively courting retired people,giving out residence permits and tax extemptions etc. to attract the often affluent pensioners from all nationalities who seek a warm and sunny climate where they can spend their golden years.I have concluded now that this is where I must look to find my safe retirement haven.All my efforts to establish a permant residence here in Sanya has only sent me on a wildgoose-chase, from consulate to local police and immigration authorities , everyone pointing to another institution as the decision maker.The "forever tropical paradise" is not for staying in,it seems.

There appears to be some spammers/scammers on WOS, with the latest one being liliankone. I think it's time to name and shame them!

There appears to be some spammers/scammers on WOS, with the latest one being liliankone. I think it's time to name and shame them!

Security must be tight, also streets, roads and hotels must be packed too. With so many thousands of regional officials, and thousands more tourists, this otherwise sleepy town must have come alive.

Anyone has been and can tell us more?

Security must be tight, also streets, roads and hotels must be packed too. With so many thousands of regional officials, and thousands more tourists, this otherwise sleepy town must have come alive.

Anyone has been and can tell us more?

Security must be tight, also streets, roads and hotels must be packed too. With so many thousands of regional officials, and thousands more tourists, this otherwise sleepy town must have come alive.

Anyone has been and can tell us more?

It's said that, in order to improve the image of Sanya, smoking on beaches are now punishable with an on the spot fine of 500 yuan. Would be interesting to see how strictly this new regulation is enforced.

It's said that, in order to improve the image of Sanya, smoking on beaches are now punishable with an on the spot fine of 500 yuan. Would be interesting to see how strictly this new regulation is enforced.

It's said that, in order to improve the image of Sanya, smoking on beaches are now punishable with an on the spot fine of 500 yuan. Would be interesting to see how strictly this new regulation is enforced.

It's said that, in order to improve the image of Sanya, smoking on beaches are now punishable with an on the spot fine of 500 yuan. Would be interesting to see how strictly this new regulation is enforced.

I like Sanya for many of its conveniences, public transport is one of them. The buses are real cheap, regular, in time and easy to catch. If you are in a hurry, using a taxi is also very easy. You simply flag down a taxi on the street.

Travel to Haikou is easy too, catch a bullet train and you are there in 3 hours, which is much faster than a car.

There is no one city in Malaysia can deliver the same services - fast, efficient and regular.

Staying in 2 cities, here and Haikou, I simply wonder if I really need a car in Sanya.

Anyone out there share my view?

I like Sanya for many of its conveniences, public transport is one of them. The buses are real cheap, regular, in time and easy to catch. If you are in a hurry, using a taxi is also very easy. You simply flag down a taxi on the street.

Travel to Haikou is easy too, catch a bullet train and you are there in 3 hours, which is much faster than a car.

There is no one city in Malaysia can deliver the same services - fast, efficient and regular.

Staying in 2 cities, here and Haikou, I simply wonder if I really need a car in Sanya.

Anyone out there share my view?

My first visit here was in 1999.Since 2005 I`ve spent my winters here,in my own apt , with my Chinese wife.My plans - as I grow older - was to stay here more permanently.This would require a residence permit.Which I now realize I will never get,even though,as a retired person, I just want to quietly stay here and use my money for the benefit of the local community. "China is not an immigration country" was the curt answer I got from someone who knows about such things.IF I want to continue coming in the future in will always be a one-time event.And I`ll every time be dependent on the goodwill of the powers who decide to give - or not give - me a visa . I don`t know if this is one of the reasons I find more and more of the laoways I have come to know over the years now leaving China,saying it has become increasingly difficult, in many ways, to stay here.So they`re off , back to their home countries , or to Malaysia,Vietnam and Cambodia . Places that seemingly have a more welcoming attitude to foreigners. In Europe,some countries are now actively courting retired people,giving out residence permits and tax extemptions etc. to attract the often affluent pensioners from all nationalities who seek a warm and sunny climate where they can spend their golden years.I have concluded now that this is where I must look to find my safe retirement haven.All my efforts to establish a permant residence here in Sanya has only sent me on a wildgoose-chase, from consulate to local police and immigration authorities , everyone pointing to another institution as the decision maker.The "forever tropical paradise" is not for staying in,it seems.

I like Sanya for many of its conveniences, public transport is one of them. The buses are real cheap, regular, in time and easy to catch. If you are in a hurry, using a taxi is also very easy. You simply flag down a taxi on the street.

Travel to Haikou is easy too, catch a bullet train and you are there in 3 hours, which is much faster than a car.

There is no one city in Malaysia can deliver the same services - fast, efficient and regular.

Staying in 2 cities, here and Haikou, I simply wonder if I really need a car in Sanya.

Anyone out there share my view?

My first visit here was in 1999.Since 2005 I`ve spent my winters here,in my own apt , with my Chinese wife.My plans - as I grow older - was to stay here more permanently.This would require a residence permit.Which I now realize I will never get,even though,as a retired person, I just want to quietly stay here and use my money for the benefit of the local community. "China is not an immigration country" was the curt answer I got from someone who knows about such things.IF I want to continue coming in the future in will always be a one-time event.And I`ll every time be dependent on the goodwill of the powers who decide to give - or not give - me a visa . I don`t know if this is one of the reasons I find more and more of the laoways I have come to know over the years now leaving China,saying it has become increasingly difficult, in many ways, to stay here.So they`re off , back to their home countries , or to Malaysia,Vietnam and Cambodia . Places that seemingly have a more welcoming attitude to foreigners. In Europe,some countries are now actively courting retired people,giving out residence permits and tax extemptions etc. to attract the often affluent pensioners from all nationalities who seek a warm and sunny climate where they can spend their golden years.I have concluded now that this is where I must look to find my safe retirement haven.All my efforts to establish a permant residence here in Sanya has only sent me on a wildgoose-chase, from consulate to local police and immigration authorities , everyone pointing to another institution as the decision maker.The "forever tropical paradise" is not for staying in,it seems.

Everybody in China says that the most beautiful girls in the country are from Chongqing. I lived there before and saw many beauties indeed, but they were not much different from the beautiful girls in other parts of China. The locals in Hainan, though, are clearly a notch higher and I'm going to stick my neck out and say that Hainanese girls are the most beautiful in China! Their beautiful, brown skins and healthy looks are second to none-they're tourist attractions in their own right!

I'm really getting tired of this and am wondering if anybody knows why Chinese (almost) always shout when they speak?

I'm really getting tired of this and am wondering if anybody knows why Chinese (almost) always shout when they speak?

Be WARNED about the new JC fitness club in Dadonghai!

 

I was very excited when the new JC body building gym opened up in Dadonghai. I checked the gym out several times before joining and ask specific questions about having air conditioning and fans. I was assured that they had both. I had checked out the other two JC gyms and they were both very hot in the summer. I wanted a membership that I could use all year round; just not in the cooler months. Well, they are correct they do have both but refuse to turn them on.

This week has got warm outside so the inside of the gym is also very HOT and Stuffy! Because this gym is located in a basement there is NO air movement through the gym at all!

I have been doing an intense treadmill workout and also do the other classes like spinning. The other day I requested that the fan (above me) at the treadmill be turned on. The gym manager told me No; that if I wanted to lose weight that the fan could not be turn on. It was so very hot in the gym with no air movement; I packed my things and left. I thought I would give it one more try. I went back last evening for a spinning class. There are 4 rows of bikes about 6 in each row. There are two fans over one row. I turned the fans on and the Chinese turned them off. We done this twice until I said something to the instructor. Remember there are other bikes that would never be effected by the fans but they wouldn't get on those bikes. The instructor told me that the "Chinese" didn't like the fans. So, I then packed my things and left again. There was NO way to stay in this closed off small room doing an intense workout.

The first day I worked out here I looked around to find a spray to sanitize my machine. I wanted to wipe it down before I used it and also wipe it down for the person who used it after me. Never to be found...So, I asked for it to be wiped down. Their response; "Why do you want it wiped down?" We wipe them down once a day! I was shocked! Now, there is a rag at all the equipment to wipe it down "Which most don't use except the westerners" but there is no spray!

This is a gym...I thought gyms were promoting good health. Well, they are supposed to but this gym missed the mark. If you don't like to be around people smoking you might want to steer clear of this gym. You will have men smoking inside the gym and gathered up at the door where the smoke filters into the gym. One would think that this would be the one place in China that you could get away from smoking but you would be wrong!

So, don't be fooled by the air and fans in this gym because they will not be used!!!! If you don't want to wear an oxygen mask while working out because of the bad air from people smoking...probably be better to buy your own equipment.... If you are grossed out by other peoples body fluid.........THEN THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU JOIN!

Rumors kill the truth - Sourced from China Daily

A comment was posted on a micro blog saying a client was beaten to death at a seafood shop in Sanya, Hainan province. But later local police investigated and found out that the allegation was nothing but a rumor. Such rumors have become widespread and attracted the mass media, especially the new media. As a result, rumormongering has been exerting a bad influence on society, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Irrespective of whether it spreads falsity or not, a rumor in all its forms is harmful to society.

Rumors are just like faucets. Once they are opened, they will spill water, be it in a large or small volume.

Although measures can be taken to stop rumors from spreading further and causing more damage, they are not likely to vanish immediately. "Rumors can be stopped by the wise" is a saying that was true when the information network was not as developed as it is today.

Now that technological development is very advanced it takes only minutes for a rumor to spread on the Internet.

Therefore, even wise people can be powerless to stop a rumor. Also, morality has suffered with the passage of times because people in general have become curious about "gossips".

To a certain extent, the current laws and regulations are not as rigid as they should be against people who are responsible for spreading rumors. According to Article 25 of the Public Security Management Punishment Law, rumormongers are liable to be detained for only less than 10 days or fined less than 500 yuan, which is not enough to deter people from spreading rumors.

Worse, the light penalty does almost nothing to compensate people who become victims of rumors and in most cases suffer for a long time.

Although rumors are hard to stop nowadays, we are fortunate enough to let the world know what the truth is by getting them in print or on air or the Internet.

And reaching the truth to one and all in time is the best way to fight rumors.

Moreover, timely announcement of facts by government authorities and officials on the Internet or the traditional media is the most efficient weapon against rumormongers.