I will miss the tree-lined alley in the heart of Beijing that has been my home for three years. But the security clampdown for the Beijing Olympics has edged into even this narrow lane.

It was always clear that the Olympics would disrupt the lives of the people of Beijing, that security would be intense and the rules and regulations deeply intrusive. But it's always a surprise when this happens to you.

The underlying factor in all this is fear. Fear pervades the system in China. Fear of trouble, fear of reprisal, fear of fines, fear of a blot on your record, fear of consequences, often vague and undefined. It is a fear that has resulted in my being forced to leave my home, cats under my arm, because of the Olympics.

My landlord, who we shall call Mr Li to make things easy, was both embarrassed and apologetic when he asked me a month ago to move out. He couldn't give a reason. Slowly, details emerged. The owner of the house (let's call her Mrs Wang), who has rented it out on a long lease to my landlord-cum-developer, at first gave no reason either. Then money was mentioned. That seemed the most likely explanation.

When Mr Li offered more money it turned out that that was not the issue. So Mr Li thought that perhaps Mrs Wang wanted even more. That didn't work either. When money doesn't open doors in China then politics must be at work. And so it was.

At last the distraught Mrs Wang stammered out the words, police, foreigners and Olympics. The neighbourhood policeman, whose name really is Mr Wang, at first dismissed and then entertained that suggestion. There was no mention of any rules being broken, of any illegality. But the policeman was worried that the lease was “not standard” and his superiors were giving him pressure.

Communist authorities are anxious that foreigners could cause trouble during the Olympics. They are worried about protests over Tibet or Darfur. A drive to rid China of anyone without the appropriate visa for their role has resulted in the departure of thousands.

What the saga of my move really demonstrates is the fear with which many Chinese live every day of their lives. The episode was not based on rule of law, but on rule by the law.

Mr Wang, the policeman, is afraid to take responsibility and to answer to his bosses if some incident erupts involving the foreigner living in his area. He could lose his job, be demoted or see his prospects of promotion vanish. Rather than take that risk at a moment when China is in the world spotlight he exerts pressure to push the potential problem on to someone else.

Mrs Wang literally trembles with fear when recounting the possible police retribution if she does not obey - even though all her paperwork is in order. When I finally gave in, she apparently almost wept with relief.

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