China’s visa policy not protectionist: expert

An expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on Wednesday denied an Austria-based newspaper's report saying that the new exit and entry regulation China promulgated is based on the country's economic slowdown and unemployment.

The Vienna-based Die Presse reported Tuesday that the new regulation, which tightens up entry requirements for foreigners, reflects the protectionist trend on the rise in Beijing.

The new rules, effective in September, see four new types of Chinese visa added to the existing list of eight, in an effort to standardize the issuance of visas to foreigners, an unnamed official with the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying on July 22, the same day the regulation was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

"The newspaper was overreacting, as we are far from taking protectionist measures," Han Meng, a research fellow of the Institute of Economics of the CASS, told the Global Times on Wednesday, pointing out that the job market in China is large enough for both Chinese and foreigners.

"The number of foreign job-seekers is not large enough to threaten Chinese people. Moreover, more young Chinese are going abroad for opportunities," Han noted.

However, some Chinese said that foreigners are often more favored in English-related jobs and in multinational companies in China.

Several foreigners reached by the Global Times on Wednesday denied interpreting the new regulation as protectionism, adding that their lives might not be affected even if there are more requirements.

Die Presse pointed out that annual GDP growth will have to reach 9 percent just to create enough jobs for Chinese people, while the rate for the first half of this year was 7.5 percent.

Han said the employment situation has been stable over recent years with the economy growing between 7 and 8 percent.

"There will be no problem unless the urban unemployment rate reaches 6 percent," Han told the Global Times, adding that China is better off compared with some developed countries where the rate has hit 7 percent.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said that the urban unemployment rate for 2012 was 4.1 percent.

Two of the four new visa types aim to attract high-level professionals and facilitate overseas Chinese visiting family.

The regulations serve as an auxiliary to the newly enacted exit and entry law, which took effect on July 1.

The new law is widely seen as a move of standardizing foreigners' entry and residence in China through interdepartmental cooperation.

It also aims to crack down on what is regarded as illegal entry, stay or work in the country.