China visa curbs irks foreign businessmen

Foreigners travelling to China complain that the new visa restrictions are inflexible, costly and lacking transparency.

Foreigners travelling to China from Hong Kong are being subjected to new visa restrictions ahead of the Beijing Olympics, which one foreign business chamber has criticised as inflexible, costly and lacking transparency.

Hong Kong, a gateway to China for foreign businessmen given the convenience of shuttling across the border on swiftly obtained China visas, was hit this week by tightened rules amid increased security just months before the Games begin.

Citizens of 33 countries, including India, Pakistan, Iraq and Nepal, have been barred from applying for China visas in Hong Kong and will now have to apply from their home countries.

China, whose Communist government values stability above all else, is taking no chances with the August Olympics and has been carrying out regular security and anti-terror drills.

The journey of the Olympic torch around the world has been dogged by protests, largely over Chinese rule in Tibet, where a wave of anti-government unrest erupted in March.

8220;I can assure you that there will be no difficulty in applying for visas for all normal visiting, business and tourist trips to China,8221; Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters on Thursday.

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Greece also tightened visa controls, in some cases putting caps on the number of migrant agricultural workers for that summer, angering Greek farmers who heavily relied on mainly Albanian and Bulgarian seasonal labourers to work on their fields.

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Thousands of tonnes of peaches were left to rot on trees in northern Greece as authorities reduced the number of entry visas during the months of July and August for citizens from non-EU member states as part of the overall security operation.

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, a former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, said some of its businessmen had already been hit by the new visa rules and were concerned.

8220;We have certainly got members of this chamber who have been turned down for multiple-entry visas and only given double-entry visas,8221; said Christopher Hammerbeck, executive director of the chamber.

8220;It removes flexibility and it8217;ll add costs. There is this whole lack of transparency about the whole thing.8221;

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The Commissioner8217;s Office of China8217;s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said in statement on Thursday the curbs had been initiated partly because of a 8220;drastic rise8221; in the workload of visa applications.

A spokeswoman would not comment when asked whether the move was linked to security concerns during the Olympics.

Hong Kong travel industry players said tourist visas were now subject to extra red tape, with travellers required to show proof of a hotel voucher and a return air-ticket.

8220;It will be troublesome,8221; said Michael Wu, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents.