Charles Liu, 
The Shanghai Metro is currently undergoing a campaign to crackdown on fare evaders, a huge problem that has plagued transportation systems all around China. And to prove just how tough they are, transit authorities are even willing to enforce the law when it comes to the kind of person that has a special status in China: the foreigner, or as the public and reports call them, “laowai“.
Chinese news published a photograph from October 10 showing an unidentified expat being detained by subway personnel.
As reported by QQ News and The Paper, a subway worker on patrol at Changshou Lu Station on Line 7 stopped an expat for jumping the turnstile and not paying his fare. Able to understand Chinese, the expat was reportedly told by the transit employee the following:
It doesn’t matter from which country you are from, (everyone) must comply with the law here in China. You have violated our subway transportation management regulations, and are required to pay a fine of 84 yuan.
Not having the money to pay the fine on the spot, the expat called a friend for help. The subway worker told the expat’s friend that the fine for evading a fare on the Shanghai Metro is based on the highest maximum fare that can be issued on the metro, which is 14 yuan, and then multiplied by six. With the violation settled, the expat and friend left the station.
The news report ends with Shanghai Metro management saying this is not the first time foreigners have skipped paying fares on Shanghai’s subway, and gives the following stern warning:
In regards to dealing with fare evaders, we don’t discriminate in regards to which country a violator comes from. All must comply with the law or pay the requisite fine.
The Shanghai Metro’s “get tough” stance on fare evaders is consistent with the previously announced tentative plan to publicly shame fare evaders. However, the singling out of a “laowai” by the media has proven to be problematic. As seen in internet comments, the focus has changed to the uneasy relationship that Chinese have with foreigners.
The following internet comments are the three highest-rated from The Paper, followed by comments from Yangtse Evening Report:
风来疏竹:
Do foreigners in China have an indescribable sense of superiority? One reason is from a historical context, while another reason is because we (Chinese) always give them an elevated national status! Those in China who cling to this indescribable sense of inferiority are only helping to prolong this very unhealthy trend!马克的回忆:
The superiority of foreigners has come to an end… send these foreign garbage back from whence they came.沙雯:
A couple of days ago I saw three foreign women skip the fare. At the time I gave them a dirty look, but seeing this today has given everyone a great sense of satisfaction!独眼龙x兼续_今天也是蓝天白云：
Fines for illegal activity in China are way too low. There should be a record made upon their personal credit. Many foreigners are law-abiding in their own countries, but will break the law after they come to China.汪夆：
People that get by in China will eventually leave the country, while foreigners that don’t get by in their own countries will eventually arrive in China.shelly青若依：
Therefore, we can now say that not all foreigners have exemplary morals and essences.不是水瓶座的马甲：
I want to know if bangzi (a Chinese derogatory word for South Koreans) skip fares the most.戴康meyo：
The majority of laowai that come to China are those who can’t make it in their own country. Strongly propose raising the entry requirements for foreigners coming to China.好9-8见：
Expose his nationality. Anytime we Chinese people have a problem abroad, foreigners always directly say: Chinese tourists are such and such… [coldshoulder.emoji]
Related: