Hey,

A lot of entertainment venues now only let you in if you scan a code with your phone.  This is supposed to show the operators that you didn't leave China for 14 days or something like that.  Mine often doesn't work which is stressful.  The local number in my phone is from a twin-number SIM card I got in HK.  So it's  a HK SIM card with a China number (and a HK number as well).  Any insight on whether that's the problem?  Ie, will all my troubles with contact tracing melt away if I would get a 100% China SIM?   

Thanks for any help.  And have a happy siege!

[ Last edited by  deadliner at 24-4-2020 07:45 ]

Things might have change now but my last visit to Shenzhen I tried to get a “tourist” SIM at the airport and apparently there are many thing to fill in within the form.  I speak but don’t write Mandarin well enough so I walked.  Please post back if that’s still the case If you got a minute,

Def will let you know when I figure this out.  I read a lot bout foreigners being shut from places in China these days.  At least half of it has to do with technical issues with the phone contact tracing, in my opinion.  The other half is pure racial discrimination.  I experienced both in past 2 months. I'd be curious to know if your tourist SIM card would have made you an "angel" after 14 days, ie, someone cleared to enter any venue.  But you didn't get it.   Lots of hassles these days.  Whole world abnormal.

I've had the same problem with a dual number sim card, so assume that it's similar.  The previous apps (where there were three different QR codes dpepending mobile provider) worked, but the new one (a single circular code) doesn't work.  The solution I found so far is to take a photo of the previous code for your mobile company and use that.  It doesn't work all the time depending on how pedantic the guards are, and appears to be getting less reliable especially on places I have seen who actively say "no foreigners", but most cases it is okay after some negotiation.

I think we need to get used to this as the new normal for some time.

Honestly I didn't encounter any problem with any of the QR code systems in Shenzhen. I'm using a China Unicom SIM which I got locally in a China Unicom store back in the 3G era. Most of the QR codes just check in which cities you have connected to cellular towers in the last 14 days. If necessary, this is easily circumvented by getting a second SIM and using it in separate phone which you keep turned off outside of your main city.

Another system in Shenzhen is 深i您 which is linked to WeChat. You must full in your information truthfully as the government can check it for accuracy. I recommend you write a Chinese name when registering, because it shows your name when showing your 健康码. This will make you slightly less conspicuous as a foreigner.

Also I cannot stress enough, if you encounter discrimination in Guangdong solely based on being a foreigner, please file a report with the authorities. They take it serious. However without a report there won't be any action. You can call the following numbers:

110 - police for mediation at the spot (everywhere in China)
1258088 - mediation via telephone and also report filling (Guangdong provincial level)
0755-88121224 - report filling (Shenzhen local level)

On the other hand, please don't be this kind of stupid foreigner who throws a tingbudong or just doesn't want to cooperate. Just do as the locals do. If they really discriminate however give them as much crap as possible. That's the only way they learn.

Burgundy, Vivante, Explorer, much obliged.
I'll go get a fully registered SIM package and another phone (aargh!).  Any idea whether it will take 14 days before the new phone shows i'm clear to enter entertainment venues?  I was just rejected at Overseas Chinese Hotel.  The May 1 break is coming and being able to visit the ladies would be welcomed.

The initial registration in the contact tracing app (it's a subapp of WeChat) is entirely in Chinese.  You need to enter a lot of personal details.  If you choose to visit a spa or other such venues these days, you need to be comfortable with authorities being fully able to trace your whereabouts.

The QR Code in Overseas Chinese Hotel just uses city tracking through cellular towers. It works fine with my China Unicom SIM. It doesn't do anything else. This information is already in the possession of your mobile provider no matter you use this program, the only thing this program does is generate it into a funky report (screenshot).

The 深i您 WeChat program indeed requires personal information. However, if you are a foreigner working legally in China the government will already have all the information you need to fill in. Also take notice that not all information boxes need to be filled in. Just enter the minimum. 深i您 does not track your phone location!

Edit: a secondary phone doesn't have to be expensive, something decent like a second hand Sony Xperia XZ can be had for less than 300RMB.

[ Last edited by  Vivante at 25-4-2020 21:41 ]

It's got me stuffed that China is allowed to get away with the outrageous RASIM that is clearly going on all over China.

If this was any other country the media would be going ape shit.

Where are the useless  W.H.O. and the U.N ?????????????? Oh that's right they are in China's back pocket......

what is RASIM ?                                                .

U.S. restaurants will reopen with a different look. China gives clues as to how.
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QR codes

Residents in China are using QR codes to gain entry to businesses, such as restaurants; it's all part of a color-based health code system. Users sign up for the health code system and are required to enter personal information and answer a series of questions, such as previous travel, if you've had contact with a COVID-19 patient (suspected or diagnosed) and any symptoms you may be experiencing. You are then issued a red, amber or green color. Those with a red code will have to go into self-quarantine for 14 days; amber requires a quarantine period of seven days; green means you are allowed to move around the cities. Restaurants, based on the color of your health QR code, can either let you enter or turn diners away. To read more about the system, head to CNN.


To read more see :

https://www.sfgate.com/food/slid ... e-in-the-201707.php

It's all fine and great in theory but a case of weird digital-based discrimination if it doesn't work.   The contact tracing apps are sub-programs of WeChat.  I contacted WeChat tech support for some pointers about what's wrong with my phoneS.   It still won't work after I got another phone with a local China Mobile SIM card in it.  I keep getting the error message (in Chinese) that the program can't find my travel history.

Sounds like the product is buggy with too many errors.

I would guess the app is less than 3 months old.  The gov't needed an app quickly so they rushed it into service.   They didn't really test the app before sending it out. Beta version release.  I am just speculating all this.