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If You're a Foreigner Using GPS In China, You Could Be a Spy
tedlistens writes "China has accused Coca Cola of espionage for its 'illegal mapping,' allegedly with the use of GPS 'devices with ultra high sensitivity.' On its face the case looks like yet another example of China's aggressive sensitivity about its maps, no doubt heightened by its ongoing fracas with the U.S. over cyberwar. Li Pengde, deputy director of the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation, said during a radio interview on Tuesday that the Coca Cola case was only one of 21 similar cases involving companies using GPS devices in Yunnan to 'illegally obtain classified information.' According to Chinese authorities, geographical data can be used by guided missiles to strike key military facilities — a concern that one GPS expert says is overblown at a time when the U.S. government already has high-precision satellite maps of China. Nevertheless, Chinese law dictates that foreigners, be they companies or individuals, are prohibited from using highly-sensitive GPS equipment in China."
China makes almost everything you utilize on your daily life, directly or indirectly.
This is not by your choice but by the companies you buy utilities and electronics.
China also owns most of US foreign debt.
This is also by design since china has been buying it from the free markets.
Deal with it.
If you do a lot of travelling, you will find that GPS laws are different everywhere. Many countries won't even allow you to bring one across the border. Defense against enemies obtaining high quality maps is usually the reasoning. Sometimes, you can bribe a customs guy to let you bring it in. But you shouldn't be flaunting GPS when you're visiting a place like that. I think China should be more free, but I can't get too upset when they enforce their existing laws against visitors who break them, even when the laws are out of date or seem silly.
You can still get there in Alaska.
I sort of agree with you. I often wonder what the point of these "anti-china" posts are all about.
On one hand you have the USA, and its rules and gvt. On the other you have China, with a different set of rules and different gvt.
I think Its fairly rare to see China tell the US what to do, but frequently the US tells China what to do. If you don't like China and its laws don't go there. No one "forced" Coke to go to china, they did it because they saw a huge market to sell their products to.
I am fairly sure the US expects visitors to follow US laws when in the US but i don't understand why they feel they can use US laws when not in the US? Maybe in the US you have a right to take detailed GPS maps of wherever you want, but Coke wasn't doing that in the US. They did it in a more restrictive country which specifically doesn't want you doing this. The law may be totally stupid for many reasons, but don't violate them then complain.
Lastly, as many others have posted I'd like a pro-american-freedom type to go photograph a US nuclear plant or gvt building with a GPS and see how that works out for you. Hopefully the plant you choose is not within the 200 mile border zone where your "rights" are suspended and you are end up being labelled a "terrorist".
As an amateur photographer i have been hassled more then once for taking pictures of US buildings while on PUBLIC PROPERTY (sidewalks). Doesn't seem very "free" to me.
Lastly, for what its worth I am a Canadian who has lived in both the US and China.
As someone who works for a company that does significant mapping business in China, I'm getting a kick out of these replies. It's funny how sensitive they are to GIS information and maps. The Chinese government has these silly rules about all maps having to show China's borders the way they imagine them to be, and you have to show certain islands and other sensitive areas as exaggerated in size. As long as you comply with their fairy tale, there's no problem. The GPS stuff is probably related. Anything that has the potential to show reality rather than the make-believe world is verboten.
and I live outside of America because my business is outside of the United States
And you know what ?
For the past decades I've been contacted by "someone" asking me for my "cooperation" so that they can use my company as a cover up to spy on the countries that my business has located branches and local contacts
When I told them that I do not want my company to be involved in some espionage activities "they" remind me of my "duty" to my country, that I should be "patriotic", that I should aid them in "defeating the enemies"
Of course, I can't tell you where my business branches are located - or they will know who I am
Just want you guys to know what is going on in the real world
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
I've used GPS receivers many times in China, and even has friendly discussions with airport security about some of them. Never had any problem.
That said, I've also been followed during many (most?) of my trips to China, and for some reason they are always doing air duct work just before I get into my hotel rooms...