## China Issues Green Cards?

The <a href="http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200408/20/eng20040820_153939.html">People's Daily</a> in English:

<blockquote>According to the regulations, eligibility for permanent residence mainly applies to high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses which 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, and foreigners who come to China to be with their families. </blockquote>

The article says it goes into effect on August 15th.  A more comprehensive article and coverage of the press conference is <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2004-08/20/content_1835378.htm">on the Xinhuanet site</a>.  There's not much concrete information; the reporter for 学习时报 asks if holders of the Chinese "green card" (a term used throughout the press conference, also in quotes) will be subject to place-of-residence or job limits, and the answer given is "no limits".  However, at the end of the press conference, the bureau chief of the Immigration and Emmigration Administration 崔芝崑 made it pretty clear that, because China is not a country with a large inflow of immigrants, this regulation is "为了改革开放，吸引高层次人才、资金、先进的技术所制定的", or to promote Reform & Opening, attract high level intellectuals, investors and advanced technology.  It's pretty clear that they didn't have the interest of the common weblogger in mind when they drew up these new regulations.  That said, the Chinese really did, as they claim, examine other "green card" systems in forming their own.  The resident permit is granted for a period of ten years for adults, the same time period as stated in <a href="http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/renew.htm">the rules for US green cards</a>.

The <a href="http://www.mps.gov.cn/webpage/showNews.asp?id=1321&biaoshi=bitGreatNews">full text</a> of the new regulations was posted to the web site of the Ministry of Public Security.  I'm sure there's some good stuff there, including more clear specification on who will be able to successfully apply for one of these.