Dongguan

Cops surround KTV in Dongguan and arrest 1,000 in ketamine raid

Posted: 05/13/2013 7:00 am

Police arrested over 1,000 people in one operation after surrounding a KTV in Dongguan in the small hours of May 9. The reason? Evidence suggests that ketamine was being taken in over 50 of the rooms, according to Shenzhen Satellite Television.

Suspects after being rounded up.

According to one eyewitness, the suspects had to be frogmarched into more than 130 police vans. Police found evidence in each of the rooms at the KTV of the Junhuang Hotel in Zhongtang Village that patrons were taking the drug, said a source familiar with the matter.

The operation involved criminal police, the drugs squad and several teams of cadets and led to raids of 57 KTV rooms in which some patrons were caught red-handed.

As well as doing blood tests and urine samples on the suspects, and investigation into how this was made possible is ongoing.

In February, a video aimed at cleaning up Dongguan’s image as a sin city was produced. This case may leave it back at square one.

Tagged: Dongguandrug bustketamineKTV

Eight killed, three injured in fire in Dongguan Taobao building

Posted: 05/8/2013 7:00 am

The scene of the accident

Eight people were killed and three were injured in a fire in a building in Dongguan’s Humen Village on May 6, Southern Metropolis Daily reports. The cause of the fire, which stretched 200 square metres, is still under investigation.

Humen is known nationally as a trading hub for clothes and the first floor of the building in Longquan Subdistrict was used as the location for a Taobao business, the second floor for staff dormitories and the third floor for the family of five who owned the business.

At about 3 a.m., female staff members Qin Xiaoyan, 24, and Zhang Chenxia were woken up by the smell of the smoke. They opened the door of their room and were overwhelmed by the thickness of smoke. They called for help from their room.

A grieving relative

As well as the 20 firefighters that arrived, neighbours helped extinguish the fire. Zhang and Qin escaped with minor respiratory tract burns but five men and three women lost their lives. The dead are being identified.

The area has become known for small fires, but authorities did not do anything about it in time to avert this tragedy.

The reporter from the paper observed that there are no No Smoking signs around. That and the fact that clothes are highly flammable may provide a clue.

Tagged: clothesFireHumenLongquan SubdistrictTaobao

Chickens test positive for bird flu in Dongguan

Posted: 04/29/2013 6:17 pm

It appears a particular strain of bird flu has arrived in Dongguan.

Officials in the city have moved swiftly to prevent a spread of the H7 virus after a batch of chickens tested positive for the strain.

They were keen to stress the H7 virus is not H7N9, which is a sub-group that has been spreading in China. This particular strain was discovered during routine tests on chickens in the city’s wholesale poultry market.

Here’s what Luo Qifang, deputy director of the city’s Bureau of Agriculture, said according to SCMP.

We ordered the closure and sterilisation of local poultry markets on Friday after cases were reported in Hunan and Jiangxi.

It’s the first trace of the virus strain reaching Guangdong. The number of infected people nationwide has reached 124, including 23 deaths. It has spread as far as Taiwan.

The decision to order a cull comes after Chinese premier Li Keqiang made a visit to the headquarters of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing.

He urged the public to be on alert for any fresh developments in H7N9, including what officials fear is mutation that’s easily transmissible between humans.

Here’s what he told reporters, as retold by SCMP:

It’s a new bird flu virus, and we are still far from getting all of the information about it … meanwhile, we should try our best to reduce fatalities and release true data and information to the public.

Little is still known about the effects H7N9 has to humans.

The World Health Organisation are still investigating what’s causing the transmission but say there’s no indication that H7N9 passes through humans or with animals.

Image: SCMP

Tagged: Bird FluChickenH7H7N9Poultry MarketStrain

Helen’s in Dongguan

Posted: 04/22/2013 1:00 pm

Prices seem to be rising in China these days, especially in first tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Down here in the PRD, we have our own inflationary pressures: bars and restaurants in Shenzhen and Guangzhou seem to be increasing much faster than people’s salaries. This correspondent remembers when beer at some watering holes cost only RMB5 per pint during happy hours. My, how times have changed.

While it’s getting harder to find cheap deals in the PRD, it’s not impossible. The Nanfang stopped by one such establishment recently and found 100 yuan can still go a long way.

Helen’s is dimly lit, but cozy.

Helen’s Bar opened in Dongguan within the past 18 months, one of the latest establishment of the chain of backpacker bars that have spread across China like H7N9. It’s continually rated among the most popular places to drink in Wuhan, Xiamen, and other locales, and even has outlets in places like Beijing and Shanghai. So with a pretty good track record among the fen-pinching student and laowai populations, it was a welcome addition to Dongguan’s quickly-evolving nightlife scene.

Helen’s is quite spacious and dimly lit with bench-style seats and some communal tables. It offers up a cozy environment and a decent selection of alcohol. When we stopped by we were starving, so we checked out some of the food on offer as well.

Go easy on those 3 litre tubes of beer….

First of all, the menu was more extensive than we expected. We’d heard about Helen’s pizzas, but didn’t know they also offered several soup, salad, pasta, and hamburger options. If you want to pass on the pub grub and opt for healthier fare, they also have smoothies, juices, milkshakes, yoghurt shakes and more.

We had a simple draft Carlsberg for RMB25, but Tiger was on tap as well alongside Heineken for RMB30. The bottled beer selection ran from RMB15 for Tsingtao up to RMB45 for Leffe, which is a nice option.

Shortly after the beer came, our appetizer arrived: onion rings. How could we pass it up? Perhaps it was a hankering for Burger King, we’re not sure. Anyway, the onion rings were decent and were enjoyed all around. There were other interesting options on the appy menu too, including popcorn. Let us know it was.

For the main course we were extremely tempted to try the mac and cheese, which was going for a mere RMB35. But we settled on what Helen’s is known for, which is pizza. There are 12 kinds of pizzas on the menu, with the margherita (tomato, mozarella, and oregano) going for only RMB39. The pizza selection gets increasingly more complex, with the seafood pizza, featuring shrimp, cuttlefish, and seashells (??), going for RMB58. We settled on the meat lovers, which didn’t take too long to arrive and was pretty much what we expected. While not the best pizza in Dongguan, it certainly holds its own, and you can’t go wrong getting a pile of meat on pie for only RMB48.

Meat lovers pizza

We also ordered the veggie burger, which arrived adorned with tomato and cucumber and a side of fries. It was enjoyable (we aren’t sure what the patty was made of, but it was tasty) and we appreciated the veggie option on the menu.

We weren’t there in a particular party mood, but this place seems to be designed to accomodate large groups of friends. The large communal tables, pop music mix, and famous 3L tubes of beer are all ideal for groups. When you throw in cheap pizzas, you can’t go wrong.

Helen’s is indeed a welcome addition to Dongguan’s bar scene, and judging by the crowd that was on hand when we visited, has already earned a place for itself among the city’s nightlife aficionados.

Find Helen’s address and contact information here.

Tagged: Dongguanhelen'shelen's barLaowaiNightlifePizzaRestaurantwestern food

Look out Guan Tianlang, another PRD golfer is hot on your tail — and he’s even younger

Posted: 04/21/2013 3:07 pm

Guan Tianlang wowed golfing fans by becoming the youngest person ever to make the cut at the US Masters in Augusta, Georgia last week.

But no sooner as the 14-year-old from Guangzhou came bursting onto the scene, proving that he’s not an inexperienced amateur, his impressive feat may soon be eclipsed by his contemporary Ye Wocheng from Dongguan.

Incredibly, at only twelve, Ye is the youngest person to qualify for a European Tour event after bagging a place at the Volvo China Open which tees off on May 2.

The Hillview Club member follows in the well-worn footsteps of Guan, who teed off at the same event in Tianjin last year at the age of 13 and 173 days.

A modest Ye, said: “Obviously I would love to win my own national open championship, the Volvo China Open, but I know the challenge is getting ever-greater as our home-grown talent is improving all the time.”

12-year-old Ye Wocheng

The Volvo China Open is headed by a strong line-up, featuring Britain’s Paul Casey, Denmark’s Thomas Björn and Ireland’s Paul McGinley.

2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, said: “I’m especially looking forward to seeing how young Ye Wocheng gets on, and I know that there are plenty of other youngsters who are soon going to be household names.”

There’s either something in the PRD’s waters or there’s greens aplenty in Guangdong to practice golf.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear a new set of young sporting talent is bursting onto the scene that will shape and define China’s sporting legacy.

Image: Volvo China Open

Tagged: AugustaGolfguan tianlangHillview Clubthe mastersYe Wocheng

[Updated] PRD reacts to H7N9 threat after 6th death in the country reported

Posted: 04/5/2013 9:19 am

China is reacting to the threat of the H7N9 disease after a fifth person died from the bird flu. Fourteen cases of the flu have been confirmed so far, China Daily reports.

So far, nobody in Guangdong Province has been diagnosed with the illness. Of those diagnosed, six were in Shanghai, four were in Jiangsu, three were in Zhejiang and one was in Anhui. Four of the deaths were in Shanghai and one was in Zhejiang.

Special reagents for the detection of the H7N9 disease arrived in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou in recent days. A reagent is a compound or mixture added to a system to test if a chemical reaction occurs. Because it is a newly discovered disease, there is no immunization for H7N9 yet.

The reagents, courtesy of Baidu images

Shenzhen’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said in a press conference that residents — particularly children, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases — avoid crowded places and maintain strict personal sanitation to avoid getting sick, Shenzhen Daily reports.

Health officials are paying particularly close attention to influenza and pneumonia patients. The paper continues:

Health officials said the current number of influenza and pneumonia patients in Shenzhen is similar to the same period last year.

Shenzhen checkpoints have tightened inspection of flu patients and haven’t detected any patients with H7 flu strains.

Guangzhou has also received copies of the reagent from the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, ifeng reports.

Authorities in the city warned against going to meat markets, particularly with children, and to avoid going near poultry and pig carcasses. One of those who died from the illness was a 48 year-old poultry transporter surnamed Chu.

They also urged patients suffering from symptoms of pneumonia to consult their doctor immediately.

Meanwhile, concern has been raised about an area near the industrial zone of Nanhai in Foshan where dozens of tons of animal hides and fur have been dumped illegally, Southern Metropolis Daily reports.

Fur and hides dumped illegaly in Foshan cause concern, picture courtesy of Southern Metropolis Daily

The recent rainy and windy weather has caused a stench that local residents suspect may be dangerous.

Dongguan is also monitoring the situation, Dongguan Times reports. The deputy director of the city’s CDC, Zhang Qiaoli, that 80 of the reagents would be transported to Dongguan.

Zhang cautioned that, because it is a newly discovered virus, its spread would be unpredictable.

On Wednesday afternoon, the National Health and Family Planning Commission briefed officials from the World Health Organization’s China office, according to China Daily.

The nation has pledged to maintain frank and open exchanges with the WHO after famously lacking transparency during the SARS outbreak 10 years ago. To learn more about how China mishandled its response to SARS, check out the novel, Such Is the World@SARS.com by Hu Fayun and the non-fiction book Out of Mao’s Shadow by Philip Pan.

Update 15:15: The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that another person has died from H7N9, bringing the death toll to six. The person who died is a 64-year old farmer from Hangzhou.

Tagged: H7N9JiangsureagentsShanghaiWHOWorld Health Organisation

Police forced to play nanny after arresting heavily pregnant shoplifter in Dongguan

Posted: 03/28/2013 9:48 am

After arresting a heavily pregnant woman for shoplifting, police in Dongguan are now looking after her newborn until a suitable guardian comes forward, TVS reports.

The mother, Mrs. Chen, entered labour at Taiping Police Station after she was caught stealing clothes at Mingdian Shangcheng on March 22.

Police tried to contact members of her family but none would answer the phone. The police themselves had to take her to the maternity ward at Humen Hospital where she gave birth to a baby girl on Monday afternoon.

Chen’s punishment is unlikely to be too severe. An officer at the station surnamed Li said police would take into account the fact that Chen only turned to petty crime under a time of great strain as the baby’s father is nowhere to be found.

Dongguan residential building collapses in the middle of the night, septic tank to blame

Posted: 03/15/2013 7:00 am

A residential building in Dongguan collapsed on the night of March 11 and cracks appeared on the walls of surrounding buildings, TVS reports. The collapse is thought to have been caused by seepage in the building’s septic tank.

A cracked wall in Dalang Village

Shortly after 11 p.m., residents of Dalang Village were woken by the sound of the 70 sqm building collapsing. It’s located at No. 108 Fu’an Road. There were no casualties but a subsequent investigation showed that the collapse may well have been caused by an overloaded septic tank.

Several of the 300 residents of the building told media of their shock at what happened.

It was the fourth such case in the city’s Guanhui area in a week, according to Dongguan Daily.

Netizens pointed out that the area has become somewhat prone to such collapses.

One Sina Weibo user expressed fear that the Mayan apocalypse had been delayed for a year. Another opined that we should just be grateful nobody died. Another suggested building a bigger septic tank.

Most residents of the building are thought to have been working on the subway system, raising further questions about the living conditions of migrant workers in China’s major cities.

Tagged: Building CollapseCollapseDalang VillageFu'an Roadseptic tank

Everybody get wet! Dongguan set for annual water fight on March 13

Posted: 03/6/2013 7:00 am

If you’re going out in Dongguan’s Dongkeng Village on March 13 make sure your electronic devices are stored away and whatever you do, don’t wear white. On the second day of the second month of every lunar year, the city marks Body Selling Day (not what you think it is), of which the water fights are now the main part.

According to Baidu Baike, in ancient times peasants in what is now Dongguan would present themselves in the town square on this day to meet the gods. By the late Ming Dynasty (1368－1644), a custom had developed in which those who did not own land would appear in the public square and bow down wearing bamboo hats. Those who owned land would come along and select who to employ for a year, hence the name Body Selling Day.

For reasons that this author cannot quite fathom, the main feature of the modern manifestation of Body Selling Day is a massive water fight in Dongkeng Village. The locals will make a killing from selling water pistols and water balloons, Dongguan Deputy Culture Minister Liu Cheng told Southern Metropolis Daily.

Remember what colour not to wear

Apparently it is good luck to both soak others and to be soaked. People form teams and it gets quite strategic. For obvious reasons, people wearing white are particularly popular targets.

Join a team if you don’t want to end up on the receiving end of this kind of treatment

The tradition is part of Guangdong Province’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, so if you soak an expat on that day, just tell them you are providing them with a free cultural experience.

Tagged: Body Selling DayDongkengDongkeng VillageMing DynastyTraditionwater fight

Police smash smuggling ring sending 200 Myanmar migrants to work in PRD factories

Posted: 03/3/2013 1:52 pm

A gang, touted as one of the biggest rings trafficking Myanmar nationals, has been busted after some of the workers escaped and turned up at a police station begging to be sent home.

The gang of five Myanmar and Chinese nationals was arrested and charged with human trafficking, which involved sending 200 people from Myanmar to work at several factories in Dongguan and Huizhou.

The case only came to light after 36 of the trafficked workers turned up to a local police station on the outskirts of Guangzhou on December 8 asking to be sent back home to Myanmar.

Police believe the operation started in February 2012 when the first wave of workers were sent to work in Huizhou.

However, much of the human smuggling focuses on the Chinese border city of Ruili. It’s a bustling border with Myanmar and an ideal location for smuggling operations.

Here’s how the traffickers continued to profit from their work, as told by the Irrawaddy:

The traffickers charged the workers 1,200 yuan (US $192) for the journey and took 3 yuan ($0.50) for every working hour off their salaries, the daily reported without mentioning their monthly salaries. The average monthly income of rural workers in Dongguan stood at 1,900 yuan ($305) last year.

The arrested five face between two and seven years in jail, whereas factory bosses face fines of up to 100,000 yuan ($16,000) for every illegal worker found.

Also worth noting is the Myanmar nationals who were trafficked will also face punishment, including a 10,000 yuan fine and detention for up to 15 days before being deported.

Image Credit: Ruili, from the Irrawaddy