(ECNS) -- On Wednesday, Guangzhou City, located in south China’s Guangdong Province, issued the region’s first integrated physical card that combines the function of a foreign work permit and social security to a German expert.
Anno Bernhard Dederichs, a German professor at Sun Yat-sen University, shared his excitement about being among the first recipients of this innovative card.
“I’m very pleased to have this card. It is expected to make work and life much more convenient,” he said.
Since Dec. 1, 2024, China has integrated foreign work permits with social security cards to provide more convenient and efficient services for foreigners working in China.
The new card includes features such as work permit information inquiry, service authentication, and payment processing. It offers a “one-card” solution, enabling foreign cardholders to access social security benefits, medical services, transportation, cultural activities, tourism, and financial transactions.
The Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau highlighted that the integrated card is designed to facilitate foreign professionals’ life in Guangzhou, helping them enjoy the conveniences of the digital era.
In recent years, Guangzhou has enhanced pathways for high-level international talent to work in the city. By the end of 2024, the number of foreign professionals working in Guangzhou had risen by 40.3 percent compared to the end of 2019.