Post date: Mar 16, 2012 2:19:42 PM
China-Illegal Mapping/U.S. Citizen -- U.S. citizen punished for collecting GPS data illegally in NW China
China Central Television - A U.S. citizen was fined some 20,000 yuan (3,164 U.S. dollars) at the end of January for illegal surveying and mapping in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to a recent news release by the region's Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.
"On Aug 15, 2011, we received a report that a U.S. citizen was illegally collecting GPS data with GPS receivers in Manas County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang.
And three days later, on Aug 18, we arrived at the neighboring Shihezi County where he stayed, and conducted an investigation," said Wang Xueyun, staff member of Surveying and Mapping Law Enforcement Office under Bureau of Surveying and Mapping of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to the investigation, the U.S. citizen came to Xinjiang in June, 2011, and wanted to start a tourist company, providing outdoor tourist service for foreigners. In order to acquire a better knowledge of Xinjiang's landmass, he then conducted illegal surveying and mapping by a GPS data collection on his way of travel.
According to staff members involved in the investigation, the U.S. citizen had collected more than 90,000 location data of Beijing Municipality, Shaanxi Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
"As he went all the way, either by vehicles or on foot, his GPS receiver would collect thousands of location data information automatically. Though large in amount, the data didn't cover a wide area," said Wang.
After the investigation, on January 31, 2012, the U.S. citizen was fined 20,000 yuan and his two GPS receivers were confiscated, according to the Surveying and Mapping Law of the People's Republic of China.
The geographic information is an important part of China's national information resources and any illegal collection without permission is not allowed in China.
More downloads available at http://newscontent.cctv.com
For any questions please call +86-10-63969499, or email [email protected]. If you want to learn more, please go to the CCTV website at http://newscontent.cctv.com.
© Copyright CCTV. The content in this story, including video and script is provided by China Central Television (CCTV) and is copyright CCTV. Thomson Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of, or endorse the views or opinions given in, this package. THIS STATEMENT SUPERSEDES ALL OTHER STATEMENTS RELATING TO COPYRIGHT ATTACHED TO THIS CONTENT.