• March 28, 2024

Smokers detrained

 Smokers detrained

Passengers in China who are discovered smoking on high-speed trains or in smoke-free zones of other trains will be prevented from train travel for 180 days, according to a story in The China Daily citing a newly-released document and a Guangzhou Daily report.
The document was issued jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Supreme People’s Court and other government departments.
‘Troublemakers, producers and sellers of counterfeit tickets, and those endangering railway transport safety, will also be prevented from taking trains for 180 days,’ the China Daily story said.
‘A roster of those banned from taking trains will be publicized on 12306.cn, a ticket booking website, and creditchina.gov.cn, a credit check website, for seven consecutive days from the first day of each month. Those listed can appeal during that period.’
The rules are due to come into effect on May 1.
Last week, Reuters reported that China had said it would begin applying its ‘social credit’ system to trains and flights, under which people who had committed misdeeds would be barred from taking such transport for up to a year.
A story by Paul Huang for The Epoch Times, meanwhile, described the ‘social credit’ system as an experiment that international observers had speculated would be the next step in China’s transformation into a total surveillance state.