The main US business group in China said on Wednesday that a US-China travel fast-track program has been approved by relevant Chinese authorities and it was working to implement the program early next year, a move that is in line with consensus reached during a leaders' summit last month.
"We are currently working with various local Foreign Affairs Offices (FAOs) in locations where our members are based to confirm and finalize invitation letter and visa details," the American Chamber of Commerce in China said in a statement, adding that the goal is to make it operational early in 2022.
During the China-US leaders' summit in November, China agreed to upgrade a fast-track arrangement to make it more convenient for the US business community to travel to China, prompting a positive response from American business circles.
The purpose of the fast-track arrangement is to provide a more efficient, predictable and reliable channel for essential US company executives, technical personnel and their dependent family members to come to China.
The program also ensures that those living in China who left the country for family or business reasons are eligible to return to China.
AmCham China said that it is working together with AmCham Shanghai and the US-China Business Council (USCBC) on the program.
The statement also listed specific eligibility requirements for applying for the fast-track program, including that travelers must be an employee of both a US-registered company with a business license in China and a member of AmCham China, AmCham Shanghai or the USCBC.
