SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Thursday, December 30, 1999

Army on standby as Guangzhou braces for bug

MATTHEW MILLER in Guangzhou

The Guangzhou Government is prepared to call in the army if the millennium computer bug causes widespread public disruption. Under an emergency plan drawn up by the municipality, traffic police will be on 24-hour alert and residents are being encouraged to stockpile food and bottled water in case computer systems fail at midnight tomorrow.

If necessary, the Government will ask the PLA for help.

But the office set up to tackle the bug says there should be no need for such action. It said that after two years' preparation Guangzhou had the problem more or less licked.

Despite the confidence, residents have been advised not to take any chances. The office has prepared a six-point advisory, urging everyone to back up computer data and keep hard copies of all financial records dating back to October.

Residents have been urged to keep torches and candles handy. Lifts should be avoided from 11pm until after midnight.

Telephone hotline numbers for power, telecommunications, public security, traffic and health services have been posted throughout the city.

The Guangzhou Metro Corporation said yesterday it would suspend its holiday timetable and stop trains from 11pm for 90 minutes of drills, even though it believes all systems are Y2K compliant.

Guangzhou Gas, which has also said its computers are bug-free, is preparing back-up generators in case of a power failure.

Baiyun International Airport, like all mainland airports, will suspend domestic flights from 11.55pm to 8.30am.

Many of Guangzhou's foreign consulates are also taking precautions. The United States Consulate has announced it will suspend visa operations from today until Wednesday, and the Canadian Consulate will be closed on Monday.

Many companies have ordered staff to turn up over the New Year to ensure systems remain operational.

"It will be a busy beginning to the new millennium for us," said Kelvin Yang, manager of software network provider Guangdong Zhonghou Industrial.

[ENDS]

-- John Whitley (jwhitley@inforamp.net), December 30, 1999

Cleanup crew.

-- boldoff (cle@n.up), December 30, 1999.

Mr. Cleanup & friendly crew - nice job! Happy New Year :)

-- John Whitley (jwhitley@inforamp.net), December 30, 1999.