August 20, 2004 - 8:15 AM

China issues "green cards" to foreigners

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has officially started handing out "green card" residence permits to foreigners as a way to attract
overseas talent, Xinhua news agency has said.

After decades of strict control on the movement of foreigners, China has slowly simplified visa and residency procedures to cope
with the growing numbers coming to China for tourism or study, or to invest in its booming economy.

"After a foreigner is granted a permanent residency permit, he will not be limited in his place of residence or his employment,"
Xinhua quoted a public security ministry spokesman as saying on Friday.

China's new permanent residency laws took effect on August 15. The permits, although called "permanent", will be valid for five
years for children and 10 years for adults.

"This is a significant move by the Chinese government to adapt to economic globalisation, push forward reform and opening-up
and the modernisation of socialism still further, and normalise the regulation of examination and approval of permanent residents in
China," the spokesman said.

Those eligible included "high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China's economic, scientific and
technological development or social progress, foreign citizens who make relatively large direct investment in China, foreigners who
have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China", Xinhua said.