Xiamen Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office director Li Xiaoping explained the application and use of the APEC Business Travel Card on the Xiamen government’s official website on Sept 28.
The card is a special visa that is valid in 16 countries for five years. It provides for multiple visits, each lasting for up to two months. Use of this card is anticipated to reduce 40 percent of travel cost, 58 percent of visa application fees, and 50 percent of customs clearance time.
With the introduction of the card, the Xiamen FOCA office aims to offer easy cross-border transit to local enterprises with business interests in foreign and overseas markets.
Netizens phoned in to ask for advice from Li during his interview with the local government website.
It was the second time Li elaborated on the issue, the first being when he answered calls on the mayor’s hotline in June.
Currently, 600 persons from 500 companies in Xiamen have the card.
Li Xiaoping explains APEC Business Travel Card-related matters during an interview on the Xiamen’s government’s website. [Photo provided to xmfo.gov.cn]
China has decided to extend its visa waiver policy to ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom starting from Feb 17.
Forty-one new port-of-entry duty-free shops have been established nationwide, with Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, Xiamen Wutong Passenger Wharf, and Xiamen International Cruise Center included on the list.
