Authorities in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province have issued a 3-year action plan to strengthen its campaign against illegal foreigners.
The plan, which will run from 2015-2017, will improve the sanitary and security conditions in rented houses and thoroughly uncover sanfei, or the "three illegals," referring to foreigners who illegally enter, get employed and stay in the city.
Local media said that the problem of "sanfei foreigners" persists in Guangzhou. A special team was formed by local security bureau in 2014 to target that group.
"Local police would check on a foreigner's passport and lease contract on a monthly basis," a residential committee director living near Sanyuanli area surnamed Chen told the Global Times. The Sanyuanli area is densely populated and popular with foreigners.
Ruan Qilin, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times that Guangzhou has many foreigners, mostly from Africa, and the plan might be the city's response to complaints over security issues.
"I believe the government is targeting misconduct, instead of a certain group of people, foreign or native," Ruan said.
Guangzhou has the third largest number of foreigners on the mainland with about 118,000 registered foreigners, reported Guangzhou-based New Express in December 2014.
However, some media reported there are actually over 300,000 foreigners living in Guangzhou, leading to a wide range of crimes and friction with local residents.
Guangzhou police detained and deported 768 foreigners who violated China's laws and regulations from January to August 2014, reported Yangcheng Evening News in December 2014.
