China decided on Tuesday to take countermeasures against the US decision to fingerprint most Chinese who will go to the United States. 

 

US citizens with diplomatic or service passports will now have to apply and pay fees for common visas when planning private visits to China. At the same time, the Chinese Embassy in the United States will hold interviews with some of the US citizens before issuing visas.

 

Moreover, all US citizens visiting China will not be able to apply for port visas, but will have instead to complete visa applications at home.

 

On March 22, the US Embassy in China started to collect the fingerprints of Chinese who will go to the United States. The other US consulates in China will follow up, according to the US Embassy.

 

The US practice was targeted at most visa applicants from the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, and excluded Canada and 27 countries in Europe.

 

(Sources including Xinhua News Agency and China Daily, March 31, 2004)