China Travel Forum

[Liam]

I had corresponded with a Chinese woman for almost two years and we had made arrangements to marry in Nanning. So I had travelled to China about three months ago in order to finally get to meet her in person and her family as well.



After reaching the Beijing airport, I was rudely grabbed by arm by the silent military-like security uniformed man and led to the waiting clerk.

The Hotel I had reserved a room at had not sent anyone to shuttle me from the airport to the hotel as promised.

So I had to take a cab.
The cab persons, two young men, began ignoring my questions and driving out of the city.


1. Had to threaten to jump from a taxi in order to be permitted to get off.
2. They refused to release my luggage for 15 minutes.
3. One threatened to attack me physically.


Next day, at the Beijing airport, I was rudely ignored by one of the attending female luggage clerks who refused to even acknowledge my existence.

Then I was led to the wrong waiting gate for a Nanning flight. The same female clerk that had said I was in the right place became hostile when I asked about the plane.

She angrily sent me to another clerk who began to treat me in a mocking manner. Then he and the female clerk began talking about me in Chinese. When I protested, she called some security guards. One began to make intimidating eye contact with me and gesturing toward me in order to involve two more security guards.

I began having second thoughts about going to Nanning.
But two Chinese persons persuaded me to stay and take the next morning flight. I was led to a hotel reservation place.

I kept telling them that I wished to stay at the hotel I had previously stayed. They kept refusing until I was forced to accept the one they had chosen.


I was then led toward China Airlines at breakneck speed by an airport personnel person who had previously been disrespectful due to his mocking manner.

After I reserved my flight, he led me to an additional hotel reservation place where he insisted that I pay again for another hotel reservation. My explanations and protests were ignored. He also refused to take me back where he had picked me up originally.

After a heated argument in which I was insulted racially, I was abandoned at the airport to try to find my way back. As much as I tried I could not find the place.

So I decided to leave China.
I got my reservation canceled.
Then I began searching for the United Airlines.
No one knew where it was.
Others refused to talk to me.
I was tired, sleepless, without medication and dehydrated. Frustrated, tired and angry.

That's when five men appeared out of nowhere and surrounded me. One, it seemed was the taxi driver that had =beencalled by the hotel reservation agency. He asked if was going to use his services. I said no because I had decided to g home. That's when one of the Chinese men behind me growled "PAY HIM!"

When I asked the taxi driver if these men had been brought along as body guards just in case I refused to pay his fee he said yes. They were there to beat me up if I did not give him the five American dollar he demanded.

Since I did not wish to get beaten up, I searched my wallet for five dollars. They resfused to accept Chines yuans and demanded that I pay in American money. Since I only had big bills. Again the guy growled PAY HIM! I was then taken to a money changing area. The clerk seemed furious for some reason. The men had my luggage as hostage. At least that's the impression they gave.

Since I was afraid that these men would follow me and attack me in order to get more money I decided to give the taxi driver 100 dollars in order to get out f China alive.

This he took and did not even say thanks!
As I tried to put distance between me and these criminals, I was finally approached by some luggage boys offering help. But as they talked to me, this cadaverous looking Chinese man emerged from the direction of the criminals and began making his way toward me. The two boys hurriedly disappeared when they saw him.

This person with a portable phone in his hand demanded that I tell him the reason why I had given the taxi driver 100 dollars. Since I feared that I was being tested to see if I was going to accuse them I said it had been a gift.

The Chinese man, who looked like death itself, then began taking in Chinese over the wireless phone. After asking why I was in China and where I was going, He then motioned for me to follow him. Since his manner was intimidating I assumed that I was going either to be taken somewhere isolated in order to get beaten up or else killed. I told him I wanted no trouble. That all I wanted was to go home.

This seemed to have calmed him a little.
He then said that the hotel I had stayed at the previous night was for rich people. When I said I was not rich, he asked why then had I stayed at that rich people hotel and how was it that I was able to give 100 dollars away to the taxi driver.


As he led me to an elevator I expected the worse.
I again said I wanted no trouble.
I was taken to the second floor and led to the United Airlines office where the fellow began giving orders an and the people there began glaring at m as if I were some kind or mortal enemy.

Then the fellow led me to the gate where I could return to the USA. But then he demanded 100 dollars as a fee for leading me there. I explained that I could not afford to be giving away 100 dollar bills. He then demanded that I give him all the Chinese money I had. So I emptied my pockets and he left.

The sadddest part of all this is that the woman whom I had planned to marry became upset when I was not at the airport at Nanning as I had promised and stepped in front of a car and was killed.


She died and cursed the day she ever gave me her love.
She never knew what trouble I had run into.
Her family hates me as does her friend.

I requested a death certificate but her family will not answer.

I wept for weeks since she was my love.

I tell you this only to let you know that I am very disapointed in the way I was treated. I had always been an admirer of Chinese culture and expected so much more. Liam

[kamal]

I am very sorry to hear your horror story. Typically the Chinese are helpful, humorous and quite honest. I lived in Nanning for nearly two years, and made lifelong friends. It sounds like you got mixed up with some really bad criminals, and that could happen in any country unfortunately. I had a number of girlfriends there and almost got married. Would I recommend someone goes to China? Yes, absolutely!