Experts believed these measures, which went into effect one after another starting late 2001, will help promote international economic and cultural exchanges and facilitate visits across the border, thus benefiting China’s reform, opening up and economic construction.

Jia Chunwang, Minister of Public Security, said the six measures include:

1. Beginning December 1, 2001, business travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao can be prolonged for up to three years. Applications for business travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao with a validity term of less than three months will face no restrictions regarding amounts of tax return and foreign currency earnings. Restrictions regarding the number of travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao will also be lifted.

2. Starting January 1, 2002, all visa offices at ports of entry and exit will be able to issue on-the-spot group tour visas.

3. By the end of 2002, Chinese citizens will not have to submit invitation letters from foreign countries when applying for passports. Meanwhile, the issuance of passports and exit registry cards will be separated.

4. By the end of 2002, 10 airports, including Hongqiao in Shanghai, Baiyuan in Guangzhou and Guilin in Guangxi, will follow the practice of Beijing’s Capital Airport in opening special entry lanes for Chinese nationals.

5. Before the end of 2003, China will establish a “green card” system based on international practice.

6. At the end of 2005, residents of large and medium-size Chinese cities should be able to apply for passports using ID cards and household registration cards.

China's "Green Card"

For many years, China has been fairly strict about granting permanent residence to foreigners. According to the Law on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreign Nationals, which went into effect in February 1986, foreigners who invest in China or cooperate with Chinese enterprises may get long-term or permanent residence cards. Over the past 12 years, however, only 67 foreigners have obtained such permits.

According to the new measures, China will establish its own "green card" system by 2003, granting permanent residence permits to senior managerial and technological personnel from overseas, as well as foreign investors who have invested substantial amounts in China. In addition, holders of permanent residence cards will no longer have to apply for entry visas. Analysts noted that such measures would attract more overseas talent and funds for the country, and make foreign investors feel of being at home.

The new measures will also make it much easier for many foreign tourists to obtain entry visas to China. Currently, 21 Chinese ports of entry and exit are able to issue on-the-spot visas to tourists traveling as part of an organized group. In the Pearl River Delta and Hainan Province, foreign travel groups do not need visas at all. In Shanghai, an entry visa is not required for travel groups. Yet most ports in China still cannot issue travel visas to groups. After introduction of the new measures, foreign travel groups will be able to get on-the-spot visas at all ports of entry and exit.

Passport—Not a Problem Anymore

On November 22, 2001, a primary school teacher in Shunde City, Guangdong Province, surnamed Zhang, came to the local police station to start the first step of her prolonged passport application procedure, as applicants were required to obtain approval from the local police station where their permanent residence is registered. At the police station, however, she was told she didn’t need the approval anymore. Beginning that day, residents in Shunde who apply for passports only need to fill out a form and produce their ID cards and household registration cards. "I’m surprised it is so convenient," said Zhang.

For years, Chinese people who wanted to go abroad had to go through an extremely complicated passport application procedure, which requires papers concerning a person’s household register, reasons for travel and approval from their employer.

However, within four years, all Chinese citizens will be able to apply for passports with just their ID cards and household registration cards. Zhongshan and Shunde in Guangdong Province are the first two Chinese cities to pilot the practice. When applying for passports, all residents of the two cities, except government workers and those working in the financial business or other sensitive organizations, do not have to produce invitation letters from foreign companies, ID certificates of overseas relatives or friends, invitation letters, bank deposit proof and approvals from their work unit or local police station. All they need to do is to get an application form from the office of administration of entry and exit in the local public security bureau, fill it out, and submit it along with their ID card and household registration card or other equivalent certification papers. Next year, the trial may be extended to Shanghai, Zhuhai and other cities.

The Ministry of Public Security also said applicants can get passports within 15 workdays after submitting their application. Counters at passport-issuance offices will be lowered to 0.75 meters, and their glass barriers removed, for better communication between people on both sides of the counter.

A Packed Border

The Ministry of Pubic Security unveiled these measures to respond to the increasing demand for more efficient entry and exit procedures after China’s accession into WTO.

Over the past 12 years, the number of outbound trips by Chinese citizens and inbound trips by foreign nationals, has increased sharply. Statistics show that the public security force has checked 1.33 billion travelers and 122 million transportation vehicles entering and leaving China during the 12 years, with an average annual growth rate reaching 27.91 percent and 23.49 percent respectively. In addition, public security departments have issued exit permits for 24.83 million Chinese citizens who traveled overseas on private passports, representing an average annual increase rate of 54 percent. In 2000, the number of applicants for passports, and that of travelers entering or exiting China, reached 5.04 million and 187 million respectively, up 6.6 fold and two-fold over 1989.

Over the past 12 years, China has added 110 entry ports and around 100 border checkpoints, raising the total number of border checkpoints to 265. It has also added on-the-spot visa issuance offices in eight entry ports, pushing the total number of such offices up to 21. Also, public security and tourism administrations have granted approved destination status (ADS) to 20 foreign countries.

Despite these measures, more drastic reforms on entry and exit are needed if China wants to tackle a significantly increased number of cross-border travelers, following the country’s entry into the WTO.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the goals of the reform are to make the administrative system and entry and exit compatible with the market economic system; to raise the level of legislation and law-enforcement regarding the administration of entry and exit; to strengthen control over the border and maintain orders of entry and exit; and to raise the quality and efficiency of entry-and-exit services through application of modern technologies and improvement of staff expertise.

Regarding legislation, the Ministry of Public Security plans to complete revision of the Law of Nationality, the Law on the Administration of Entry and Exit by Chinese Citizens and the Law on the Administration of Entry and Exit by Foreign Nationals in the 10th Five-year Plan period (2001-05).

When it comes to new techniques, computer-networking technologies have been widely applied in entry and exit administration. Currently, more than 90 percent of entry and exit data can be accessed after two hours in the border inspection information center. In addition, anti-forgery technology used in the production of passports and visas is also close to, or reaches, international standards. Currently, most of the ports in the country have installed systems that read and identify passports. In the next few years, related departments will continue to improve entry-and-exit information networks. Recent plans include an update of the database system on the exit of Chinese nationals, and construction of the second-phase border inspection information system.

The public security department will also step up with efforts to crack down on crimes, such as illegal immigration by Chinese citizens, as well as illegal entry, over-staying and employment of foreign nationals in China.

(Beijing Review January 3, 2002)