A few days ago, a rumor that the Shanghai Public Security Bureau would impose curfew on foreigners during the Expo sent shockwaves among expats and bar owners in Shanghai. According to the article on local blog Shanghaiist, foreigners would not be allowed outside past 11 pm. The information was widely circulated on the web. People were cursing with disbelief and bitter sarcasm. Then the story took an 180 degree turn when a spokesperson for the Shanghai PSB held a press conference to quash the rumor. He said that no curfew would be imposed on foreigners during  the Expo and that Shanghai would not single out any particular group as an administrative measure. He said that such a measure would be against the very essence of the World Expo.

That’s probably the most postmodern and refreshing thing ever coming out of a Public Security Bureau official. Of course, China still regularly singles out particular groups of people as a measure to exercise control. And it does so unabashedly most of the time. That’s what makes the annoucement a notable sign of progress. But I hope there would be a day when sober and rational approach to policy making would not even be noticed because it was the norm.