PETER A. Borger, executive vicepresident of Siemens Ltd, China, (see cover picture) became the city’s first applicant for China’s new permanent residence card for foreigners.

On August 23, the 62-year-old stood first in the queue to apply at the Entry-Exit Administration of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, shortly after the “green card?policies had been announced in Beijing.

“I had to come here early, because immediately after finishing the application I have to go to the airport to catch a flight,?he said. Borger was accompanied by his wife, Gisela.

China has officially started handing out “green card?residence permits to foreigners as a way of attracting overseas talent.

On August 20, Hao Chiyong, a spokesman from the Ministry of Public Security, said at a news conference that China would start offering 10-year permanent residence permits to “high-level?foreigners who bring in important investments or business skills, exempting them from rules that require most foreigners to renew visas annually.

The “green card?permit aims to help the country meet its huge demand for high-level foreign talent. At the same time, it aims to meet the demands of some expatriates who wish to live in China and enjoy a more convenient entering and exiting procedure, according to the spokesman.

“Those eligible include high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China’s economic, scientific and technological development or social progress,?the spokesman said.

The new residence permits also apply to “foreign citizens who have made relatively large direct investments in China, persons who have made outstanding contributions and people who come to China to unite with family members.? China’s new permanent residency regulations took effect on August 15. The permits will be valid for five years for children and 10 years for adults.

International practice

According to the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens, people with the “green card?will have no time limits on their period of residence in China.

With the “green card? foreigners can enter and exit the country, board planes and ships with their passport and “green card? There is no need for them to renew their visas annually.

Before the new regulation was introduced, China had two administrative approaches to foreigners living in China, defined as either “settling down?or as “permanent residence? The former mainly targeted those who want to re-unite with their families, while the latter was aimed at foreigners making a contribution to the country.

In actual practice, however, these two kinds of people enjoyed almost identical rights. So the new “green card?regulation cancelled the concept of “settling down?and moved the situation closer to international practice.

Since November 1985, China has approved “settling down?for more than 3,000 foreigners.

In Shanghai, there are presently more than 130 people with this right. Most of these people are from the younger generation of overseas Chinese.

“After the country’s reform and opening up, Shanghai gave permanent residence status to six foreigners,?said Ma Zhendong, director of the Entry-Exit Administration of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. “One participated in the Chinese revolution, making a contribution that way, the other five have all contributed greatly to the Chinese economy.? At present, the city receives over 2 million expatriates on temporary visits to Shanghai every year. The number of expatriates residing for long periods in the city is over 60,000.

The Entry-Exit Administration of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau is presently responsible only for receiving applications for the “green cards? The Ministry of Public Security makes the final approval.

On August 23, the first day of application in Shanghai, the bureau received a total of 23 foreign applicants. Most have some kind of celebrity status, according to the Oriental Morning Post.

Apart from Siemens?Borger, others include: Gerhard Mairhofer, general manager of the Shanghai Krupp Stainless Steel Company, an Austrian who won the award for making an Outstanding Contribution to Pudong’s Development, the Shanghai’s Magnolia Award and the Shanghai Honourable Citizen Award, and William R. Keller, former general manager of Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd, who won the award for Shanghai Honourable Citizen.

Applicants have to pay 1,500 yuan (US$181) and 300 yuan (US$36) as an application fee and card-making fee respectively.

Because of their economic power and social development, Shanghai, Beijing and cities in South China’s Guangdong Province will be the places receiving most of the applicants, according to Ma.