By Meg Davis and Josh Clarkson

Acrackdown on sex workers and related businesses in April and May has resulted in over a thousand arrests and the shuttering of hundreds of businesses throughout Beijing, according to news reports.

Beginning on April 11, 2010, police launched a “4/11 strike hard” campaign and raided bars, nightclubs, saunas and karaoke lounges, especially targeting high-end establishments. According to media reports, upwards of 8,000 police
were involved in the raid, which closed 256 brothels and placed 1,132 ‘criminals’ under detention. Media were apparently on the scene, as photographs of the raids showed crowds of women with their faces averted from the cameras. According to one reporter, brothels not only had lookouts and cameras to monitor corridors near the facilities, but also underground
tunnels that sex workers could use to escape.

Some commentators, such as those at Sohu, have speculated that the crackdown may be in anticipation of the upcoming World Expo in Shanghai. The World Expo also may be a primary motivation behind China’s repeal of travel restrictions on people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). City Weekend comments, “These places will re-open and Sanlitun will fill again
with “lady bar” touts soon enough.”

Meg Davis is executive director of Asia Catalyst; Josh Clarkson is a graduate intern at Asia Catalyst.