China's police announced measures to ease overseas travel restrictions on citizens, in a move that could open the gates to Chinese tourists headed for Hong Kong and other travel destinations around the world.

Police officials last Monday told reporters that China planned to allow residents in 100 large and medium-sized cities to apply for passports on their own by year-end.

Currently, most Chinese must first get approval from their employers to apply, a cumbersome process that has deterred many would-be overseas travelers

Since last year, three dozen cities began relaxing passport regulations, including Shanghai and, as of last Monday, Beijing.

Police unveiled streamlined procedures for Chinese to obtain travel permits to Hong Kong, which is suffering a prolonged economic slump.

The new travel policy is part of a plan by the Central Government to help turn around Hong Kong’s economy by encouraging travel by big-spending tourists from the mainland.

The new policies come amid a general easing of controls on individual freedoms and movement in China.

In October, authorities will lift a requirement that calls for employers to approve employees’ marriage plans.

Some cities now allow migrant workers from the countryside to work without applying for special permits.

The measures also appear to be part of a move by China to make its police force more open and accountable to the public.

The government recently abolished the right of police to detain migrant workers who do not have required permits. In July, Beijing’s police department began holding weekly news conferences for local media organizations — a breakthrough of sorts for this sector of the government.

Ma Zhenchuan, chief of Beijing’s Public Security Bureau, said the city’s decision to facilitate passport applications was one of some 30 policies the bureau planned to introduce to make life more convenient for city residents.

“This is one of the big things we are doing for Beijing residents,” he said.

Ordinary citizens and travel-related companies alike welcomed the measures.

On the first day of the new policy last Monday, Beijing’s police station was crowded with applicants.

Among them, Zhang Yongxin, a retired serviceman, and his wife Yu Fengyin, bent over a desk filling out an application to obtain Hong Kong travel permits.

“We wanted to go to Hong Kong before but we didn’t apply because it was too much trouble to get our work units’ approval,” said Zhang, 70. “Now it’s so much easier. We just need to fill out this form and get our picture taken.”

Long-term increase

Liu Wuxiong, a general manager of China International Tour Service in Beijing, said his company would introduce new tour packages and had already began booking blocks of seats for potential customers.

He said he did not expect an immediate, big jump in outbound travelers, mostly because many countries like the United States still have tight restrictions on Chinese visitors, but “this (move) will definitely increase the number of visitors going abroad.”

Liu predicted most would head for other parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Australia and New Zealand.

Accor SA , the French hotel company that operates two moderately priced Novotel hotels in Hong Kong and one budget Ibis hotel, said more Chinese tourists would be good for business.

Now about half the guests at the company’s Ibis hotel in Hong Kong, where some rooms go for as little as US$42 a night, are booked by mainland tour groups.

“Long term, the increase (in visitors) is going to be significant,” said Michael Issenberg, Accor’s managing director for Asia-Pacific.

Chinese tourists will also be able to spend more abroad. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said Chinese tourists would be allowed to take US$5,000, or the equivalent in Chinese yuan or other currency, out of the country when traveling overseas. The previous limit was US$2,000.

Such a move could also help alleviate upward pressure on the yuan, as U.S. dollars have flooded the market recently amid speculation that policymakers will allow the Chinese currency to appreciate. 

(SD-Agencies)

CHINA’S police announced measures to ease overseas travel restrictions on citizens, in a move that could open the gates to Chinese tourists headed for Hong Kong and other travel destinations around the world.

Police officials last Monday told reporters that China planned to allow residents in 100 large and medium-sized cities to apply for passports on their own by year-end.

Currently, most Chinese must first get approval from their employers to apply, a cumbersome process that has deterred many would-be overseas travelers

Since last year, three dozen cities began relaxing passport regulations, including Shanghai and, as of last Monday, Beijing.

Police unveiled streamlined procedures for Chinese to obtain travel permits to Hong Kong, which is suffering a prolonged economic slump.

The new travel policy is part of a plan by the Central Government to help turn around Hong Kong’s economy by encouraging travel by big-spending tourists from the mainland.

The new policies come amid a general easing of controls on individual freedoms and movement in China.

In October, authorities will lift a requirement that calls for employers to approve employees’ marriage plans.

Some cities now allow migrant workers from the countryside to work without applying for special permits.

The measures also appear to be part of a move by China to make its police force more open and accountable to the public.

The government recently abolished the right of police to detain migrant workers who do not have required permits. In July, Beijing’s police department began holding weekly news conferences for local media organizations — a breakthrough of sorts for this sector of the government.

Ma Zhenchuan, chief of Beijing’s Public Security Bureau, said the city’s decision to facilitate passport applications was one of some 30 policies the bureau planned to introduce to make life more convenient for city residents.

“This is one of the big things we are doing for Beijing residents,” he said.

Ordinary citizens and travel-related companies alike welcomed the measures.

On the first day of the new policy last Monday, Beijing’s police station was crowded with applicants.

Among them, Zhang Yongxin, a retired serviceman, and his wife Yu Fengyin, bent over a desk filling out an application to obtain Hong Kong travel permits.

“We wanted to go to Hong Kong before but we didn’t apply because it was too much trouble to get our work units’ approval,” said Zhang, 70. “Now it’s so much easier. We just need to fill out this form and get our picture taken.”

Long-term increase

Liu Wuxiong, a general manager of China International Tour Service in Beijing, said his company would introduce new tour packages and had already began booking blocks of seats for potential customers.

He said he did not expect an immediate, big jump in outbound travelers, mostly because many countries like the United States still have tight restrictions on Chinese visitors, but “this (move) will definitely increase the number of visitors going abroad.”

Liu predicted most would head for other parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Australia and New Zealand.

Accor SA , the French hotel company that operates two moderately priced Novotel hotels in Hong Kong and one budget Ibis hotel, said more Chinese tourists would be good for business.

Now about half the guests at the company’s Ibis hotel in Hong Kong, where some rooms go for as little as US$42 a night, are booked by mainland tour groups.

“Long term, the increase (in visitors) is going to be significant,” said Michael Issenberg, Accor’s managing director for Asia-Pacific.

Chinese tourists will also be able to spend more abroad. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said Chinese tourists would be allowed to take US$5,000, or the equivalent in Chinese yuan or other currency, out of the country when traveling overseas. The previous limit was US$2,000.

Such a move could also help alleviate upward pressure on the yuan, as U.S. dollars have flooded the market recently amid speculation that policymakers will allow the Chinese currency to appreciate.

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