Guangzhou Metro suddenly upgraded its security measures starting from December 8th, requiring passengers to undergo strict checks with a policy of “one person, one inspection,” leading to long queues during the morning rush hour and causing some citizens to be late for work and have their wages deducted. This measure has sparked strong discontent among the public.
On December 8th, Guangzhou Metro announced that passengers entering the stations must pass through security checks and have their belongings scanned before being allowed to proceed, only after confirming that there are no issues.
According to posts from passengers online, security guards not only check each individual, but also thoroughly inspect items that have passed through the scanner, such as beverages or small containers of hand sanitizer, requiring them to be opened for inspection.
Some netizens mentioned that even tissues in bags or pockets were required to be taken out for inspection; empty lunch boxes had to be taken out for a separate check, showing an unprecedented level of rigor.
A woman surnamed Li told Yangcheng Net that on that morning, she left home half an hour early but still ended up being late. Although the Guangzhou Tianhe Long-distance Bus Station metro station is usually busy at that time, the security checks are usually relatively quick, but on that day (December 8th), the queues extended outside the station.
Reportedly, not only Guangzhou Tianhe Long-distance Bus Station metro station but also Guangzhou South Station, Hanxi Changlong Station, Sanyuanli Station, Tangdong Station, and Jingxi Station, which are stations with high passenger flows, had queues stretching hundreds of meters in front of the security checkpoints, including some smaller stations that usually have fewer people.
This move triggered a wave of complaints from passengers online about the excessive security checks on Guangzhou Metro, with statements like, “Taking a 10-minute train ride but waiting one hour in line for security check, is this reasonable?” “The security checks on Guangzhou Metro are so strict… Everyone has to queue even if you don’t have a bag…” “If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was boarding a plane.”
Some passengers mentioned that they were carrying an unopened bottle of mineral water and were asked by security officers to open the bottle cap and take a sip, leaving them puzzled and dissatisfied.
Some passengers were concerned about being late and even chose to forgo taking the metro, seeking alternative modes of transportation. Some netizens also expressed dissatisfaction because being late for work due to long queues resulted in wage deductions by their companies.
The discussion on this topic gained traction online, with many netizens commenting, “This is during peak hours of commuting, come on!” “This would leave people from other countries stunned.” “No blessings without a ticket.” “When will food safety be checked to this extent?” “What are they so afraid of?”
There were speculations by netizens that this might be due to the approaching “year-end.” Some linked the move to the resignation of the mayor and deputy mayor of Zhuhai, as well as the dismissal of the public security bureau chief on December 8th, hinting that this action might be related to some high-ranking officials, asking if everyone “understands?” Many netizens showed agreement with this theory. Some netizens speculated that it could be related to the overthrow of the authoritarian regime in Syria, frightening the Chinese Communist Party.
This topic surged to the top of trending searches. In response, the official customer service of Guangzhou Metro stated that this measure was taken for the safety of the citizens, and there is no notification yet on how long the current security inspection measures will continue, but they have recorded public complaints.
However, due to increasing public discontent, as reported by Southern Daily, the security checks during the evening rush hours on December 9th at Guangzhou Metro stations have been “eased,” returning to normal levels.