This southern city has become a hot destination for illegal
immigrants looking to enter China or transfer to a third country,
local frontier inspection officials said.
"An increasing number of foreigners, most of them from
developing countries and regions, has attempted to illegally enter
the Chinese mainland in recent years," an official surnamed Yang
from the Guangzhou Baiyun Station of Exit and Entry Frontier
Inspection said.
Sources with the station said 301 people, 249 of them
foreigners, had been seized in 231 cases of illegal immigration
during the first six months of the year.
"Most of the illegal immigrants were young foreign women who had
not received higher education," Yang said.
Unlike some Chinese who attempt to move to developed countries
or regions in search of money, these foreigners are looking to do
business in China or to enter China while on their way to a third
country, Yang said.
He added this explained why Guangzhou, which has many small
foreign-oriented trade companies, was so popular.
"In their eyes, Guangzhou is a haven for small commodity
businesses that can help them make money too," Yang said.
Yang added that most of illegal immigrants had developed strong
relationships with overseas trafficking organizations.
"They couldn't get authentic Chinese visas. Instead, they
purchased counterfeit visas from the so-called overseas snake heads
so they could enter the country," Yang said.
In one case, four Iranians who had attempted to enter China with
fake visas were seized at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on
February 9.
"They left Malaysia with their real Iranian visas and then they
tried to enter China through Guangzhou airport with fake visas they
had purchased in Malaysia on December 16," Yang said.
Yang added that the local exit and entry frontier inspection
authorities would keep a close eye on illegal immigration attempts
by upgrading their inspection facilities.
(China Daily July 31, 2007)