Windy Shao

windysjf@hotmail.com

WITH more foreign talent choosing to reside in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), more convenient visa policies should be made for them, a national political advisor said in suggestions he submitted to the CPPCC.

The GBA is known for its international openness and strong economic vitality. According to Dr. Ken Chu, a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC and the CEO and chairman of Mission Hills Group, the total number of foreigners residing in the GBA has exceeded 450,000.

He highlighted the need to create visa policies that facilitate easy movement between GBA cities, thus promoting economic and cultural exchanges.

Currently, foreigners can enter Guangdong and stay for up to 144 hours without prior visa arrangements through group travel and visa-free transit methods. However, this policy does not meet the needs of GBA expats, as they typically hold one-time visas. Once they travel from the mainland to Hong Kong or Macao, they cannot re-enter the mainland from these two special administrative regions.

To address this issue, Dr. Chu suggested the introduction of a “GBA Green Pass” logo on passports for foreign personnel entering the mainland through the nine GBA cities. These passes would enable expats with valid Chinese visas and the “GBA Pass” to travel freely throughout the entire GBA. The passes could have a validity period of 30 days, improving the efficiency of foreign personnel’s travel within the GBA and attracting more foreign enterprises to invest in the area.

Incomplete statistics show that the GBA has the largest proportion of foreigners in the country, with about 293,300 foreign business personnel and talent residing in Hong Kong alone, accounting for 4% of the city’s population. However, despite holding (non-permanent) Hong Kong Resident Identity Cards, these professionals still need to enter the mainland using their passports and apply for various single or short-term visas, which can be inconvenient, Dr. Chu stressed.

To address this inconvenience, Dr. Chu recommended the introduction of a “GBA Business Pass” for foreign business personnel in Hong Kong and Macao.

The pass would allow approved individuals to travel freely among GBA cities using their valid passports and business passes. He suggested an initial trial period of one year for these passes, with possible extensions to three or five years based on the trial’s effectiveness.

Dr. Chu proposed the establishment of a bilingual service hotline for GBA expats to assist them with understanding government regulations and systems in the GBA cities.

He also suggested the issuance of an “Overseas Chinese Visa” for the second and third generations of overseas Chinese who frequently reside in the GBA. This visa would enable them to play a more active role in foreign exchanges.

According to the China International Migration Report (2023), there are already over 60 million overseas Chinese living abroad, with Guangdong being home to approximately 24 million overseas Chinese, the highest number in any province or region, Dr. Chu noted.