Filipinos now have one more reason not to go to China illegally: China's top legislature has passed a new law with harsher punishments for foreigners who enter, live, or work there.

 

The measure was adopted at the five-day bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, according to a report posted on China's government portal over the weekend.

 

"The number of foreigners entering China has been increasing by 10 percent annually since 2000. Their identities and goals are more diverse than ever, and their activities are wide-ranging and complicated," the report quoted Yang Huanning, vice minister of Public Security, as saying.

 

Yang said the number of foreigners employed in China jumped from 74,000 in 2000 to 220,000 by the end of 2011.

 

Many of them work as employees of foreign companies, teachers or representatives of foreign organizations.  

 

A separate report on China Daily cited estimates by Chinese media that there are 60,000 Filipino housekeepers employed on the Chinese mainland.

 

Under the measure, foreigners must obtain valid identification documents when working in China, and foreigners may not be employed without valid employment certificates.

 

Employers will be fined 10,000 yuan ($1,574 or P66,341) for every foreigner they illegally employ up to a maximum of 100,000 yuan (P663,414).

 

Any monetary gain from such employment will also be confiscated.

 

Personnel employing foreigners or enrolling foreign students should report employment information to local police departments, while citizens are encouraged to "report clues" regarding foreigners who may be illegally living or working in China. - VVP, GMA News