By Annie Wei
In response to the government’s tightened policies on lending, the housing market has begun to weaken, and as a result, more people are renting instead of buying homes.
Hu Jinghui, vice president of 5i5j.com, a real estate chain, said that housing prices rose too fast and government policies now make it difficult for people to get a loan, causing many families to delay their plans to purchase a home.
“Meanwhile, it’s helped more young people accept the idea of renting an apartment instead of owning property,” he said.
Guan Yue, a bank associate who moved to Beijing six years ago, decided to continue renting a small apartment with her fiancé before Chinese New Year. Her rent is 2,300 yuan per month.
“We’ve planned to buy an apartment for two years, but the housing prices are so expensive,” Guan said. “Although the price seems to be going down now, we decided to wait a bit longer.”
Since last October, the prices of Beijing’s new and secondhand apartments have dropped 15 percent, but the price still remains high. Most secondhand apartments within Fourth Ring Road cost 25,000 to 30,000 yuan per square meter. Cheaper ones are only available in the suburbs.
Traditionally, young couples have put buying a home high on their list of priorities. But these days, more couples are raising families in rented apartments.
Hu said that more apartments are available in the rental market. With more tenants in the market, the capital’s average rent has increased to 3,100 yuan per month in 2011.
February 6 marks the end of Spring Festival, a day where non-Beijingers flock back to the city. This marks the start of the peak season for the rental market. Those who plan to move are advised to wait a couple of weeks afterwards.
With fewer apartments being sold in January compared to last year, there are more renters. CFP Photo
By Annie Wei
In response to the government’s tightened policies on lending, the housing market has begun to weaken, and as a result, more people are renting instead of buying homes.
Hu Jinghui, vice president of 5i5j.com, a real estate chain, said that housing prices rose too fast and government policies now make it difficult for people to get a loan, causing many families to delay their plans to purchase a home.
“Meanwhile, it’s helped more young people accept the idea of renting an apartment instead of owning property,” he said.
Guan Yue, a bank associate who moved to Beijing six years ago, decided to continue renting a small apartment with her fiancé before Chinese New Year. Her rent is 2,300 yuan per month.
“We’ve planned to buy an apartment for two years, but the housing prices are so expensive,” Guan said. “Although the price seems to be going down now, we decided to wait a bit longer.”
Since last October, the prices of Beijing’s new and secondhand apartments have dropped 15 percent, but the price still remains high. Most secondhand apartments within Fourth Ring Road cost 25,000 to 30,000 yuan per square meter. Cheaper ones are only available in the suburbs.
Traditionally, young couples have put buying a home high on their list of priorities. But these days, more couples are raising families in rented apartments.
Hu said that more apartments are available in the rental market. With more tenants in the market, the capital’s average rent has increased to 3,100 yuan per month in 2011.
February 6 marks the end of Spring Festival, a day where non-Beijingers flock back to the city. This marks the start of the peak season for the rental market. Those who plan to move are advised to wait a couple of weeks afterwards.
By Annie Wei
It’s easy to accumulate stuff in the big city – books, appliances, clothes, toys – but what happens when your small apartment gets too cluttered?
Chen Hao, an overseas returnee in Shanghai, recently founded You You Space, public storage rental for individuals, families and small companies.
Rental space is common in other countries, said Chen. Customers can pick up their belongings anytime, which are kept in safe and private storage.
In China, Chen said it is important to find a space within the city, easily accessible by public transportation.
His company has different sized storage lockers ranging from 0.7 to 20 square meters, with rental costs ranging from a few hundred to thousand yuan per month.
Other storage facilities that are available include U-store, a Beijing-based provider that offers small and large lockers.
“If someone is leaving Beijing for two or three months’ vacation, it may save money to place stuff in a storage room instead of renting an apartment,” said Mary Zhou, accountant from U-Store.
Storage space is also suitable for people who plan to start an online store – they can use it to store inventory.
U-Store has more than 100 warehouses with lockers ranging from 4.5 to 17.5 square meters, with the height of 3 meters. It also provides shelves.
U-Store isn’t open around the clock, though it does have delivery service.
U-Store
Where: 25 Zhongtai Zhong Lu, Qinghe
Open: 9 am – 10:30 pm
Tel: 5944 8030
Contact: Ms. Zhou (13501398531)
Website: ljr56.com
By Annie Wei
It’s easy to accumulate stuff in the big city – books, appliances, clothes, toys – but what happens when your small apartment gets too cluttered?
Chen Hao, an overseas returnee in Shanghai, recently founded You You Space, public storage rental for individuals, families and small companies.
You You Space in Shanghai is modern and convenient. CFP Photo
Rental space is common in other countries, said Chen. Customers can pick up their belongings anytime, which are kept in safe and private storage.
In China, Chen said it is important to find a space within the city, easily accessible by public transportation.
His company has different sized storage lockers ranging from 0.7 to 20 square meters, with rental costs ranging from a few hundred to thousand yuan per month.
Other storage facilities that are available include U-store, a Beijing-based provider that offers small and large lockers.
“If someone is leaving Beijing for two or three months’ vacation, it may save money to place stuff in a storage room instead of renting an apartment,” said Mary Zhou, accountant from U-Store.
Storage space is also suitable for people who plan to start an online store – they can use it to store inventory.
U-Store has more than 100 warehouses with lockers ranging from 4.5 to 17.5 square meters, with the height of 3 meters. It also provides shelves.
U-Store isn’t open around the clock, though it does have delivery service.
U-Store
Where: 25 Zhongtai Zhong Lu, Qinghe
Open: 9 am – 10:30 pm
Tel: 5944 8030
Contact: Ms. Zhou (13501398531)
Website: ljr56.com
I’m trying to find some organic items that aren’t as expensive as the stuff at Farmer’s Market. Where can I find basic products like soap nuts?
You can try De Run Wu, a local organic farm and retailer. Email jiyunliang@gmail or call 8450 0809.
I’ve lived in Beijing for five years, and like most foreigners here, I don’t own a car or plan on owning one. I’ve never had problems with taxis before – until now. Sometimes I hail for an open cab and drivers will go right by. It’s happened to a lot of my foreigner friends as well. What’s going on?
First of all, it’s not a foreigner thing. There are lots of complaints on Weibo from locals about how hard it is to get a taxi these days. There are a couple of reasons: worsening traffic, and increasing costs for drivers. So far, effective regulations haven’t been enacted to relieve the situation. As a result, more people are taking buses and the subway.
Are there any driving schools in Beijing that teach in English?
You can try Oriental Fashion Automobile Drive School, which offers classes in English. Its website, however – dfss.com.cn – does not have an English page. Ask a friend to call 5806 1703 for more information. It has five branches, including one at Shuangjing and East Third Ring Road, and several shuttles to take people to their locations.
How can I get a credit card in China? I need one to shop online and travel.
It’s easy to apply for a credit card if you are working for a big company that helps with your work visa and can open a bank account for you.
(By Wei Ying)
I’m trying to find some organic items that aren’t as expensive as the stuff at Farmer’s Market. Where can I find basic products like soap nuts?
You can try De Run Wu, a local organic farm and retailer. Email jiyunliang@gmail or call 8450 0809.
I’ve lived in Beijing for five years, and like most foreigners here, I don’t own a car or plan on owning one. I’ve never had problems with taxis before – until now. Sometimes I hail for an open cab and drivers will go right by. It’s happened to a lot of my foreigner friends as well. What’s going on?
First of all, it’s not a foreigner thing. There are lots of complaints on Weibo from locals about how hard it is to get a taxi these days. There are a couple of reasons: worsening traffic, and increasing costs for drivers. So far, effective regulations haven’t been enacted to relieve the situation. As a result, more people are taking buses and the subway.
Are there any driving schools in Beijing that teach in English?
You can try Oriental Fashion Automobile Drive School, which offers classes in English. Its website, however – dfss.com.cn – does not have an English page. Ask a friend to call 5806 1703 for more information. It has five branches, including one at Shuangjing and East Third Ring Road, and several shuttles to take people to their locations.
How can I get a credit card in China? I need one to shop online and travel.
It’s easy to apply for a credit card if you are working for a big company that helps with your work visa and can open a bank account for you.
(By Wei Ying)
By Niu Chen
Many of Beijing’s residents will clear out during Spring Festival, including most restaurant owners and shopkeepers.
But the cupboard won’t be completely bare when it comes to dining and entertainment. Beijing Today recommends Laoshe Teahouse and an ice lantern festival.
Laoshe Teahouse’s folk temple fair
The teahouse’s folk temple fair began this past Monday on a day called “small spring festival” – exactly seven days before the start of Chinese New Year – and will last until February 23. Under Chinese tradition, the small spring festival is a day to worship the Kitchen God.
Laoshe Teahouse invited folk artists to perform a dragon dance and held a ceremony to mark the opening of its temple fair.
During the fair, visitors will be treated to fantastic shows and delicious Beijing cuisine. There will be a lantern show and demonstration of Old Beijing peddling.
Trinkets
Every night from 6 to 10 pm before February 6, visitors will find folk handicrafts on the second floor of the teahouse, such as dough figurines, pinwheels, diabolos, polymer clay puppets, cloisonne craft pictures and Liu Bao pressed tea.
Today and tomorrow, experts from the Yinglian Society of China, an organization of poets that specialize in couplets, will write New Year’s couplets for visitors from 4:30 to 9:30 pm.
Performing arts
Many traditional performances are scheduled to be on stage from January 23 to 28. A special matinee will be added on January 23, 24 and 28. From January 25-27, a special youth crosstalk challenge will feature popular crosstalk artists He Yunwei and Li Jing. One part of the evening program is a lucky draw.
Art of peddling
Old Beijing Traditional Commerce Museum on the second floor of the teahouse will be open to the public for free during the temple fair. The teahouse will invite some artistic peddlers to demonstrate their craft, from hawking candied hawthorns to cigarettes and haircuts.
New Year’s Eve dinner
New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important part among spring festival celebrations. The teahouse will prepare two kinds of Beijing style New Year’s Eve dinner along with great shows and luck draw on January 22 at 1,888 and 2,888 yuan per table. While dinning, customers could enjoy great shows and take part in luck draw arranged by the tea house.
Laoshe Teahouse
Where: 3 Qianmen Xi Jie, Xuanwu District
Open: 10 am – 1 am the next day
Tel: 6302 1717
Longqing Gorge ice lantern festival
The ice lantern festival at Longqing Gorge in Yanqing County has begun, and it’ll last until the end of next month.
“White Longqing Gorge” is this year’s theme. The site has been divided into four parts: colorful lantern area, snow sculpture area, ice display area, and “Longqing Gorge Cup international ice and snow sculpture competition” area. There are more than 350 ice lanterns, 300 ice and snow sculptures, 500 flower ice lanterns and 300 tree ice lanterns on display.
The highlight of this year”s event is dragon themed art. Exquisitely carved dragon gates and palaces are everywhere. Among the highlight is a 42-meter-long sculpture with “Go 2012” etched in, and a 25-meter-high dragon pillar.
Other standouts include sculptures inspired by Chinese classics such as Dream of the Red Mansions and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Stork Tower and goddess Guanyin are also depicted.
Hobbyhorses, land boats, dragon lantern and other symbols of local folk culture can be seen through this festival, adding to its charm.
How to get to
Longqing Gorge:
Longqing Gorge (Longqingxia) is about 85 kilometers outside downtown Beijing. You can take Bus 919 from Deshengmen (east of Jishuitan subway stop) to Yanqing, then take Bus 875 to Longqing Gorge.
By Niu Chen
Many of Beijing’s residents will clear out during Spring Festival, including most restaurant owners and shopkeepers.
But the cupboard won’t be completely bare when it comes to dining and entertainment. Beijing Today recommends Laoshe Teahouse and an ice lantern festival.
Laoshe Teahouse will stage many traditional shows during the holiday season. CFP Photo
Laoshe Teahouse’s folk temple fair
The teahouse’s folk temple fair began this past Monday on a day called “small spring festival” – exactly seven days before the start of Chinese New Year – and will last until February 23. Under Chinese tradition, the small spring festival is a day to worship the Kitchen God.
Laoshe Teahouse invited folk artists to perform a dragon dance and held a ceremony to mark the opening of its temple fair.
During the fair, visitors will be treated to fantastic shows and delicious Beijing cuisine. There will be a lantern show and demonstration of Old Beijing peddling.
Trinkets
Every night from 6 to 10 pm before February 6, visitors will find folk handicrafts on the second floor of the teahouse, such as dough figurines, pinwheels, diabolos, polymer clay puppets, cloisonne craft pictures and Liu Bao pressed tea.
Today and tomorrow, experts from the Yinglian Society of China, an organization of poets that specialize in couplets, will write New Year’s couplets for visitors from 4:30 to 9:30 pm.
Performing arts
Many traditional performances are scheduled to be on stage from January 23 to 28. A special matinee will be added on January 23, 24 and 28. From January 25-27, a special youth crosstalk challenge will feature popular crosstalk artists He Yunwei and Li Jing. One part of the evening program is a lucky draw.
Art of peddling
Old Beijing Traditional Commerce Museum on the second floor of the teahouse will be open to the public for free during the temple fair. The teahouse will invite some artistic peddlers to demonstrate their craft, from hawking candied hawthorns to cigarettes and haircuts.
New Year’s Eve dinner
New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important part among spring festival celebrations. The teahouse will prepare two kinds of Beijing style New Year’s Eve dinner along with great shows and luck draw on January 22 at 1,888 and 2,888 yuan per table. While dinning, customers could enjoy great shows and take part in luck draw arranged by the tea house.
Laoshe Teahouse
Where: 3 Qianmen Xi Jie, Xuanwu District
Open: 10 am – 1 am the next day
Tel: 6302 1717
Are there any groups for pregnant women in Beijing, especially expats?
Beijing United Family Hospital hosts regular events. You will meet many foreign and local moms and moms-to-be.
Breastfeeding support group (English) at Beijing United Family Hospital
Where: 2 Jiangtai Lu, Chao-yang District
Open: January 27, 1:30-3 pm
Tel: 6309 9714
When and where can I buy fireworks for the holiday?
Authorities have said that there will be 1,500 temporary stands that sell fireworks. All fireworks have already gone on sale. The cost can be anywhere from 120 to 1,200 yuan per unit.
How much do housekeepers cost? I met a Sichuan woman who charges 20 yuan per hour. How is that rate?
With the dramatically increased costs of living here, 20 yuan per hour is a great price for a housekeeper. You can also get a live-in housekeeper or nanny, but you’ll have to negotiate the price.
I just moved into a shared apartment and I’ve seen three cockroaches already. What can I do to get rid of them?
Try the following:
1. Starve them (don’t leave food out where the roaches can get to them).
2. Clean dishes thoroughly.
3. Put roach motels in dark areas where they are most likely to hide.
4. Keep the bathroom as clean as possible. Avoid filth buildup of any kind; cockroaches love dark, damp and warm places.
5. Clean your house regularly. Sweep under and behind beds, wardrobes and heavy furniture.
Can anyone recommend some good Chinese music? Is there any Chinese indie rock?
Try Twist Machine, Yaksa, AK-47, XTX and Cold Animal for Metal, The Suffocate,Chun Qiu, Zhan Fu, Dian Fu, Ming Jie for heavy and trash metal, CMCB for rap, The Reflector, Hang on the Box and other many locals for punk. Zi Yue and The Sand are also popular.
You can find the bands easily through Google or Baidu.
(By Wei Ying)
Email your questions to: weiying@ynet.com
Are there any groups for pregnant women in Beijing, especially expats?
Beijing United Family Hospital hosts regular events. You will meet many foreign and local moms and moms-to-be.
Breastfeeding support group (English) at Beijing United Family Hospital
Where: 2 Jiangtai Lu, Chao-yang District
Open: January 27, 1:30-3 pm
Tel: 6309 9714
When and where can I buy fireworks for the holiday?
Authorities have said that there will be 1,500 temporary stands that sell fireworks. All fireworks have already gone on sale. The cost can be anywhere from 120 to 1,200 yuan per unit.
How much do housekeepers cost? I met a Sichuan woman who charges 20 yuan per hour. How is that rate?
With the dramatically increased costs of living here, 20 yuan per hour is a great price for a housekeeper. You can also get a live-in housekeeper or nanny, but you’ll have to negotiate the price.
I just moved into a shared apartment and I’ve seen three cockroaches already. What can I do to get rid of them?
Try the following:
1. Starve them (don’t leave food out where the roaches can get to them).
2. Clean dishes thoroughly.
3. Put roach motels in dark areas where they are most likely to hide.
4. Keep the bathroom as clean as possible. Avoid filth buildup of any kind; cockroaches love dark, damp and warm places.
5. Clean your house regularly. Sweep under and behind beds, wardrobes and heavy furniture.
Can anyone recommend some good Chinese music? Is there any Chinese indie rock?
Try Twist Machine, Yaksa, AK-47, XTX and Cold Animal for Metal, The Suffocate,Chun Qiu, Zhan Fu, Dian Fu, Ming Jie for heavy and trash metal, CMCB for rap, The Reflector, Hang on the Box and other many locals for punk. Zi Yue and The Sand are also popular.
You can find the bands easily through Google or Baidu.
(By Wei Ying)
By Annie Wei
Although libraries can provide students a nice escape from Spring Festival chaos, most are closed during the break. Here’s what you should know before heading to one.
Peekabook
The biggest library of the lot, it houses 15,000 Chinese and English children’s titles in its Haidian store. “Many of the books were brought from the US by the store’s founders,” said manager Cheng Xin, referring to the Chinese mothers who opened Peekabook in 2005 after spending a few years in the US, where they discovered children’s libraries.
The library’s three outlets will be closed from January 23 to 29.
Mohezi Huibenguan
This library has many illustration books for children. It also has tables and coffee for adults.
The library will be closed from January 20 to 31.
Where: 288 Chengfu Lu, Haidian District
Open: 10 am – 8 pm
Tel: 8261 8538
Website:
Huicholbooks.com
Peekabook – Jinsong
Where: 2/F Building 10, Baihuanjiayuan, Shuangjing Dong Qiao, Chaoyang District
Open: Daily except Monday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 8773 8382
Email:
jinsong@peekalibrary.org
Peekabook – Sanyuan
Where: Room F305, Building 10, Phoenix City, Jia 5 Shuguang Xi Li, Chaoyang District
Open: Daily except Monday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 5866 8064 / 8074
Email:
sanyuanqiao@peekalibrary.org
Peekabook – Wanliu
Where: Room 302, Building 1, Bishuiyuntian, Wanliu Zhong Lu, Haidian District
Open: Daily except Wednesday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 8256 7276 / 6324
Email:
wanliu@peekalibrary.org
Capital Library
The children’s section is designed for those 16 and under. It has many children’s books in different languages.
The staff has a reputation for being very professional. The library holds many events year-round, including storytelling sessions.
The library will stay open over Spring Festival.
Where: 88 Dongsanhuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District
Open: 9:30 am – 7 pm
Tel: 6735 8114
National Library
Its children’s section has 22,000 books and is open to young people between the ages of 6 and 16. Readers can apply for a membership card with a valid student ID to check out books.
Because the children’s section is relatively new, the staff isn’t as experienced as at Capital Library. The library said its holiday schedule has not been finalized.
Where: 33 Zhongguancun Nan Dajie, Haidian District
Open: Weekdays 9 am – 5 pm
Tel: 8554 4114
By Annie Wei
Although libraries can provide students a nice escape from Spring Festival chaos, most are closed during the break. Here’s what you should know before heading to one.
At a library for children/CFP Photo
Peekabook
The biggest library of the lot, it houses 15,000 Chinese and English children’s titles in its Haidian store. “Many of the books were brought from the US by the store’s founders,” said manager Cheng Xin, referring to the Chinese mothers who opened Peekabook in 2005 after spending a few years in the US, where they discovered children’s libraries.
The library’s three outlets will be closed from January 23 to 29.
Mohezi Huibenguan
This library has many illustration books for children. It also has tables and coffee for adults.
The library will be closed from January 20 to 31.
Where: 288 Chengfu Lu, Haidian District
Open: 10 am – 8 pm
Tel: 8261 8538
Website: Huicholbooks.com
Peekabook – Jinsong
Where: 2/F Building 10, Baihuanjiayuan, Shuangjing Dong Qiao, Chaoyang District
Open: Daily except Monday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 8773 8382
Email: jinsong@peekalibrary.org
Peekabook – Sanyuan
Where: Room F305, Building 10, Phoenix City, Jia 5 Shuguang Xi Li, Chaoyang District
Open: Daily except Monday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 5866 8064 / 8074
Email: sanyuanqiao@peekalibrary.org
Peekabook – Wanliu
Where: Room 302, Building 1, Bishuiyuntian, Wanliu Zhong Lu, Haidian District
Open: Daily except Wednesday, 9:30 am – 8:30 pm
Tel: 8256 7276 / 6324
Email: wanliu@peekalibrary.org
Capital Library
The children’s section is designed for those 16 and under. It has many children’s books in different languages.
The staff has a reputation for being very professional. The library holds many events year-round, including storytelling sessions.
The library will stay open over Spring Festival.
Where: 88 Dongsanhuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District
Open: 9:30 am – 7 pm
Tel: 6735 8114
National Library
Its children’s section has 22,000 books and is open to young people between the ages of 6 and 16. Readers can apply for a membership card with a valid student ID to check out books.
Because the children’s section is relatively new, the staff isn’t as experienced as at Capital Library. The library said its holiday schedule has not been finalized.
Where: 33 Zhongguancun Nan Dajie, Haidian District
Open: Weekdays 9 am – 5 pm
Tel: 8554 4114
There are plenty of places hosting snow carnivals downtown during the Chinese New Year, like the Summer Palace, the National Stadium, and Beijing Kuangbiao Leyuan, a speed-sport zone in Haidian District.
The Summer Palce
Where: 19 Xinjian Gongmen Lu, Haidian District
Open: 9 am – 5 pm
Tel: 6288 1144
Cost: 30 yuan, including 10 yuan as entrance fee
Beijing Kuangbiao Leyuan
Where: 1 Nan’anhe Lu, Sujiatuo town, Haidian District
Open: 9 am – 5:30 pm
Tel: 6245 5588
Cost: starting from 240 yuan
The National Stadium
Where: Jia 3, Anding Lu, Chaoyang District
Open: 9 am – 9 pm
Tel: 8498 68888
Cost: starting from 160 yuan
(By Wei Ying)
Beijing Kuangbiao Leyuan organizes not only skiing but other outdoor sports. CFP Photo
There are plenty of places hosting snow carnivals downtown during the Chinese New Year, like the Summer Palace, the National Stadium, and Beijing Kuangbiao Leyuan, a speed-sport zone in Haidian District.
The Summer Palce
Where: 19 Xinjian Gongmen Lu, Haidian District
Open: 9 am – 5 pm
Tel: 6288 1144
Cost: 30 yuan, including 10 yuan as entrance fee
Beijing Kuangbiao Leyuan
Where: 1 Nan’anhe Lu, Sujiatuo town, Haidian District
Open: 9 am – 5:30 pm
Tel: 6245 5588
Cost: starting from 240 yuan
The National Stadium
Where: Jia 3, Anding Lu, Chaoyang District
Open: 9 am – 9 pm
Tel: 8498 68888
Cost: starting from 160 yuan
(By Wei Ying)
Do you know of a company in Beijing that offers storage facilities? I want a place that’s reliable and not very expensive.
Check out cangku88.cn – it offers storage lockers all over Beijing, from downtown to suburban areas.
What formalities are required in order to marry a Chinese national? What permits are needed? Is an interview with a government agency necessary?
Foreigners who wish to marry a Chinese citizen need to obtain a form called the “Letter of Eligibility to Marry” from their home country. This document basically says there is no legal reason preventing the person from marrying. Some embassies can issue this. The information should be available on your embassy’s website. Then you and your potential spouse need to register at the public security bureau where he or she is registered.
Can international magazines be delivered to addresses in China?
You can’t subscribe to international publications through China Post, but you can try the China National Publications Import and Export Corporation.
Where: 16 Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6506 3082
My friends and I plan to visit Harbin this winter. I know it’ll be freezing, but we don’t want to spend a lot of money on expensive winter jackets. My Chinese friends said a People’s Liberation Army coat is cheap and will keep you warm. Is that true? Where can I find them?
Yes, PLA coats are quite heavy and warm. You can try the army surplus Junyongpin Zhuanmaidian at 17 Shibalidian, Chaoyang District (tel: 6748 8925). There is another shop on Xizhimen Bei Dajie, south of Xueyuan Nan Lu. You can also find a smaller one on the west side of Hepingli Xi Jie, south of Third Ring Road.
(By Wei Ying)
Do you know of a company in Beijing that offers storage facilities? I want a place that’s reliable and not very expensive.
Check out cangku88.cn – it offers storage lockers all over Beijing, from downtown to suburban areas.
What formalities are required in order to marry a Chinese national? What permits are needed? Is an interview with a government agency necessary?
Foreigners who wish to marry a Chinese citizen need to obtain a form called the “Letter of Eligibility to Marry” from their home country. This document basically says there is no legal reason preventing the person from marrying. Some embassies can issue this. The information should be available on your embassy’s website. Then you and your potential spouse need to register at the public security bureau where he or she is registered.
Can international magazines be delivered to addresses in China?
You can’t subscribe to international publications through China Post, but you can try the China National Publications Import and Export Corporation.
Where: 16 Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6506 3082
My friends and I plan to visit Harbin this winter. I know it’ll be freezing, but we don’t want to spend a lot of money on expensive winter jackets. My Chinese friends said a People’s Liberation Army coat is cheap and will keep you warm. Is that true? Where can I find them?
Yes, PLA coats are quite heavy and warm. You can try the army surplus Junyongpin Zhuanmaidian at 17 Shibalidian, Chaoyang District (tel: 6748 8925). There is another shop on Xizhimen Bei Dajie, south of Xueyuan Nan Lu. You can also find a smaller one on the west side of Hepingli Xi Jie, south of Third Ring Road.
(By Wei Ying)
By Annie Wei
A Beijing family who planned to celebrate Chinese New Year in Hainan had their vacation ruined by news of the death of their dog, which supposedly ran onto the tarmac at a Hainan airport Monday while being loaded into the plane.
The family posted the story and photo of their dog on Weibo, and the post was forwarded more than 10,000 times the next day.
Someone from the Zhou family said they had asked for air carrier service. Hainan Airlines said security cameras got footage of the dog running out of the crate and onto the runway; to avoid affecting other flights, an airport employee allegedly shot the dog to death.
The Weibo was posted by the daughter of the Zhou family, who said her family had the dog, called Gege, for four years. She said it was hard to accept Hainan Airline’s explanation.
She expressed her suspicions on her blog: the standard air crate for Gege was not broken, though porters told her mother that they had no idea how the dog ran out; from the photo of Gege’s body, it looked like the dog was beaten to death.
Zhou said she hoped the responsible person and organization would make an open apology and give a reasonable cause for her dog’s death.
She also hoped the airline would fix its problems in the pet carrier service and insure the safety of other pets’ transportation in the future.
Hainan Airline told the public that it is still negotiating compensation with the Zhou family. This is a particularly topical issue considering how many more families in recent years have searched for ways of taking their pets to another city or out of the country.
Yang Huazhi, a Taiwan woman, said she felt lucky that her five pets – three cats and two dogs – were sent to Beijing from Shanghai safely by a professional pet carrier.
“They are quite professional,” Yang said. “My flight was at 1 pm, but they came in the early morning to pick up my pets on the same day.”
Yang said the service had everything a pet owner would need, like animal feed, water and lock in the crate to prevent the animals from running away when they are scared.
“The most convenient part is they help with all the certificates and pick up and deliver my pets to locations as required,” she said.
It was not cheap though. The Shanghai Tianlin Dongwu Tuoyun (shatianmin.com) charges 710 yuan for a 4- to 5- kilogram dog.
“I think maybe you can bargain the price down, which I am not good at,” Yang said.
Mary Peng, manager of International Center for Veterinary Services, said increasing numbers of pet owners are asking for professional carrier service.
She recommended three companies. “These companies are not cheap but they have experience, knowledge of different airports and regulations of different countries,” Peng said.
Globy Pet Relocation
Tel: 8762 5020
Email:
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By Annie Wei
A Beijing family who planned to celebrate Chinese New Year in Hainan had their vacation ruined by news of the death of their dog, which supposedly ran onto the tarmac at a Hainan airport Monday while being loaded into the plane.
The family posted the story and photo of their dog on Weibo, and the post was forwarded more than 10,000 times the next day.
The Zhou family posted pictures of its dog, Gege, which was reportedly killed in a Hainan airport. Photo by BQB
Someone from the Zhou family said they had asked for air carrier service. Hainan Airlines said security cameras got footage of the dog running out of the crate and onto the runway; to avoid affecting other flights, an airport employee allegedly shot the dog to death.
The Weibo was posted by the daughter of the Zhou family, who said her family had the dog, called Gege, for four years. She said it was hard to accept Hainan Airline’s explanation.
She expressed her suspicions on her blog: the standard air crate for Gege was not broken, though porters told her mother that they had no idea how the dog ran out; from the photo of Gege’s body, it looked like the dog was beaten to death.
Zhou said she hoped the responsible person and organization would make an open apology and give a reasonable cause for her dog’s death.
She also hoped the airline would fix its problems in the pet carrier service and insure the safety of other pets’ transportation in the future.
Hainan Airline told the public that it is still negotiating compensation with the Zhou family. This is a particularly topical issue considering how many more families in recent years have searched for ways of taking their pets to another city or out of the country.
By Annie Wei
For people who plan to travel deep into rural areas but are concerned about lack of emergency relief, there’s now a solution.
In the direst of emergencies, one can dial 999 or 010-999 to get a helicopter transfer to the nearest major hospital.
Tuesday morning, a 5-year-old Swedish boy was transferred from Zhangjiakou, a ski resort 200 kilometers outside Beijing, to New Century International Children’s Hospital.
The 999 emergency center said they received a call on Monday morning that a boy was badly injured during a ski run.
The center arranged for a medical crew and contacted Beijing Capital Airline Helicopter Service to schedule a pickup.
He Chi, vice president of Beijing Capital Airline Helicopter Service, said his company dispatched two pilots – who each had 5,000 hours of flight experience – a doctor and a nurse from Beijing SOS to take the boy and his parents back to the capital.
The helicopter took off for Zhangjiakou at 9:10 am and returned to a helipad on North Fifth Ring road at 11:40 am.
By 7 pm, the patient had been transferred to an emergency care department.
The total cost was 100,000 yuan, a chunk of which would be covered by the family’s overseas insurance company.
The average standard fee is 30,000 yuan per hour.
Tian Zhenbiao, vice director of 999 emergency center, said helicopter transfers are still uncommon in China because they are expensive.
He said they were working with local insurance companies to find funding and lower the cost.
The flight supplier, Capital Airlines, said it would introduce 12 more helicopters for emergency use, covering all the way down to Zhujiang Delta in Guangdong Province.
How to call a helicopter:
Anyone can dial 999 for consulting. The emergency center will decide if the patient needs to be transferred via air depending on the patient’s condition, location, weather and air traffic management. 999 also needs to consult with the patient’s doctor to see if the patient is suitable to be transferred via air.
A rescue team arriving at a snowboarding camp in Zhangjiakou, northwest of Beijing, to pick up an injured swedish boy and take him back to Beijing for medical care. Photo by Man Yi/BQB
By Annie Wei
For people who plan to travel deep into rural areas but are concerned about lack of emergency relief, there’s now a solution.
In the direst of emergencies, one can dial 999 or 010-999 to get a helicopter transfer to the nearest major hospital.
Tuesday morning, a 5-year-old Swedish boy was transferred from Zhangjiakou, a ski resort 200 kilometers outside Beijing, to New Century International Children’s Hospital.
The 999 emergency center said they received a call on Monday morning that a boy was badly injured during a ski run.
The center arranged for a medical crew and contacted Beijing Capital Airline Helicopter Service to schedule a pickup.
He Chi, vice president of Beijing Capital Airline Helicopter Service, said his company dispatched two pilots – who each had 5,000 hours of flight experience – a doctor and a nurse from Beijing SOS to take the boy and his parents back to the capital.
