Foreigners in China may be ordered to leave the country if they violate a new set of public security regulations coming into force today.

Compared with the version that has been in place for 19 years, the new law stipulates a total of 238 illegal practices an addition of 165 offences and raises the maximum fine from 200 yuan (US$25) to 5,000 yuan (US$617).

The Law on Public Security Administrative Penalties, which takes effect today, applies to all Chinese citizens and foreigners in the country, including those with diplomatic immunity, the Ministry of Public Security told a press conference yesterday in Beijing.

Cases involving diplomatic immunity would be handled through diplomatic channels and the rest dealt with directly by Chinese police, said Ke Liangdong, director of the ministry's legislative bureau.

Ke said the law targets new illegal practices in society. "Protecting civil rights is our basic consideration," he said.

Instances of new illegal practices include:

repeatedly sending pornographic mobile-phone messages

disturbing public order at sports or cultural events

raising pets that harass neighbours

causing disturbance by making too much noise.

Punishment ranges from warnings, fines, and revoking licences to detention of up to 15 days. For foreign violators, the law adds the deportation clause.

Ke would not say what kind of illegal behaviour would attract the severe penalty of deportation.

"It depends on the circumstances," he said. "But no matter which article foreigners violate, there will be risks of being deported."

He said local police stations have to seek approval from the ministry or authorized provincial police authorities for deporting foreigners. But if the penalty is detention, county-level police authorities would have the final say.

Wu Mingshan, deputy director of the ministry's public security management bureau, said a large number of violations involving foreigners relate to prostitution, frequenting brothels, theft and assault.

He added that the ministry would soon issue an English copy of the law.

(China Daily 03/01/2006 page1)