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China has released a series of new measures intended to ease travel into the country, including greater flexibility for business travellers.
The Ministry of Public Security on 3 August issued 26 new ‘convenience’ measures, which include relaxed rules for movement across the country and the ability for business travellers to upgrade single-entry arrival visas to multiple-entry visas valid for as many as three years.
Travellers who enter China for reasons such as business negotiations, meetings, investment and entrepreneurship or to attend conference and exhibitions can also apply for landing visas with an invitation letter and supporting materials.
The measures, which will likely take effect from the end of August, also state that business travellers can convert a visa-on-arrival to a multiple-entry visa after entering the country.
Foreign nationals awaiting residence permits will also be able keep their passports. Previously, authorities would issue a temporary travel document that was not as widely accepted as passports for arranging travel, according to a Bloomberg report.
The measures come more than seven months after China ended its strict quarantine regime for international travellers and reportedly amidst slower than expected post-pandemic economic recovery.
“While a welcome step in the right direction, these measures by themselves will not be sufficient to restore business travel to pre-pandemic levels, nor to restore China’s attractiveness as a destination for foreign talent,” said Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, as reported in Bloomberg.
Eskelund added that a lack of transparency and the unpredictability of China’s policy environment also need to be addressed in order to restore confidence among foreign companies.
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