(Shanghai Daily news)
Shanghai police have shut down the phone company running the US Consulate's visa information center.
The Foreign Ministry said in Beijing yesterday the phone company had been closed for overcharging customers.
Xin'an Information Service Company was closed last Friday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said local authorities investigated the company in response to complaints about high fees from Chinese citizens.
The service, which could be accessed by dialing 4008-872-333, is a user-pays service and cost 54 yuan (US$6.5) for 12 minutes.
The normal phone charge in Shanghai is 0.22 yuan for three minutes.
"We believe Xin'an carried out the user-pays service without the permission of Chinese authorities and its communication charges were not approved by the department concerned," Kong said.
He said the ministry had told the US its position several times, in the hope the company would abide by Chinese law.
Based in Pudong New Area, Xin'an Information Service Company is in charge of the management of the All-China Visa Information Center, which began operations on March 3 to schedule visa appointments and provide general information to the public for the US Consulate.
Public Security Bureau officials closed the center at 2pm last Friday, according to a notice issued yesterday by the US Embassy in Beijing.
As a result of the closure, requests for new appointments can not be serviced and previous visa appointment makers are required to go to the consulate at the scheduled time, the notice said.
Jennifer Zimdahl Galt, the US Consulate-General spokesperson, told Shanghai Daily the consulate was surprised and disappointed at the actions of the Chinese authorities.
"The US Embassy had been working closely with Chinese officials for months to establish the call center and discuss operating procedures. We've conveyed our strong objections and expressed our desire to resume operations as soon as possible," she said by e-mail.
"The call center has been fielding up to 10,000 calls a week assisting Chinese citizens.
"We believe this center significantly improved service to visa applicants."
Local police say they are still investigating the case which involves several other departments.
