IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author): “The Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company since January 1997, in particular, its recruitment procedures for hiring seamen, including naval officers; whether individuals can be forced to become seamen or have the job assigned to them by the authorities; whether seamen are free to leave their employment when they wish or whether they are required to sign an employment contract for a minimum of ten years duration; whether employees are required to pay a penalty to be released from their job; the salaries and benefits offered by the company; and whether it is private or state-owned [CHN29048.E]”, Document #1051627

The Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company since January 1997, in particular, its recruitment procedures for hiring seamen, including naval officers; whether individuals can be forced to become seamen or have the job assigned to them by the authorities; whether seamen are free to leave their employment when they wish or whether they are required to sign an employment contract for a minimum of ten years duration; whether employees are required to pay a penalty to be released from their job; the salaries and benefits offered by the company; and whether it is private or state-owned [CHN29048.E]

Information on the Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company, other than that provided below, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

According to the 12 January 1998 China Daily attachment, Cosco, the "leader in China's ocean shipping carriers, reshuffled its assets[, so that] all Cosco's dry bulk carriers have been concentrated into the Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company." Please see the attached 8 November 1997 China Daily report for additional information on the structural reform of COSCO and its effect on the Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company.

Additional, though brief information, on the Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company can be found in Response to Information Request CHN28682.Eof 2 February 1998, which is available at Regional Documentation Centres.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

China Daily. 12 January 1998. "China: Bulk Carrier Moves Near Sea." (NEXIS)

Attachments

China Daily. 12 January 1998. "China: Bulk Carrier Moves Near Sea." (NEXIS)

_____. 8 November 1997. "China: Cosco Launching Reshuffle." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Electronic sources: CISINFO, IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS.

ecoi.net description:: The Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company since January 1997, in particular, its recruitment procedures for hiring seamen, including naval officers; whether individuals can be forced to become seamen or have the job assigned to them by the authorities; whether seamen are free to leave their employment when they wish or whether they are required to sign an employment contract for a minimum of ten years duration; whether employees are required to pay a penalty to be released from their job; the salaries and benefits offered by the company; and whether it is private or state-owned [CHN29048.E]

Country:: China
Source:: IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Published:: 2 April 1998
Document type:: Response
Language:: English
Document ID:: 1051627 (former ID 171982)