2008 Olympics: Migrant workers and bed sheets

Although the Olympics are still two years away, the Beijing Government has already released new regulations that deal with who will be staying in Beijing and who will be kicked out during the big event.

According to this Netease report (in Chinese), different laws are going to be enacted according to migrant populations in different industries during the 2008 Games. There are estimated to be 1 million migrant workers in in construction industry, who will all be persuaded to return home. On the other hand, migrants working in lower end industries, such as small, ahem, hair salons (the ones with the pink lights) are going to be squeezed out of the city, according to the report. The state council has approved plans to control migrration to Beijing to Beijing -- people who want to move to the capital city need certification issued by county level government.

Certain kinds of companies can, if possible, take a break during the Olympics, but -- like all Chinese holidays -- they'd have to make up the time before or after. The specific details haven't been hammered out yet.

The article states that Beijing police are also getting ready to deal with "sensitive issues" like protests, parades and illegal vendors, and that they have to consider how to deal with these problems according to Chinese law and based on what is feasible. For example, the story says the police could carry bed sheets with them should they happen to come upon a nude protest.

The story also states what we thought is old news: Stadiums will be no smoking during the Olympics. The government says they plan to expand the smoke-free area as much as possible -- can they expand it down to Shanghai?