Chinese 鈥淕reen Card鈥 
cctv.com 06-24-2005 13:30
The Chinese government unveiled the Administrative Regulations on examining and approving Permanent Residence in China for Foreigners on August 15th, 2004. The foreigner鈥檚 permanent residence card becomes the legal identity card for foreigners who obtain Chinese permanent residence.
On March 16, 2005 when the Beijing Municipality issued China鈥檚 permanent residence cards, Robert Mundell, the 鈥渇ather of Euro鈥, was given the Chinese green card and became a Beijinger.
Foreigners in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other Chinese metropolises apply to and get foreigner鈥檚 permanent residence card.
As the US permanent residence card, China鈥檚 one is also nicknamed 鈥済reen card鈥.
As China鈥檚 opening up to the world becomes faster and faster, various high level foreign talents have been tempted to invest in this country. They also come to China to settle down permanently and become more and more involved in their careers and live the life they wish to have.
I am Victoria Hamilton, and today鈥檚 Rediscovering China will help you better understand the fairly new concept of the Chinese green card.
Peter A. Borger and his wife have lived in Shanghai for seven years. As Executive Vice President of Siemens China, Borger will actively try to integrate into the local culture and create sort of home atmosphere for himself.
In China, they collect Chinese antiques, furniture and ceramic pots. To them, Shanghai is their home.
As a westerner working in China, I would love to know more about the ins and outs of getting a green card and whether or not I fall onto any of the categories. So I鈥檓 about to make some inquiries.
In 2004, Chinese export volume exceeded 1,000 billion us dollars, ranking the third in the world. Meanwhile, China attracts foreign investments worth over 60 billion us dollars, ranking the first worldwide for three years in a row. More than 400 out of the 500 strongest multinational corporations in the world invest in China. Nearly 30 of them set up regional headquarters here in China. As well, there have been over 400 research and development centers for foreign firms here. China has more opportunities to make money than any other country in the world, which is exactly why China is tempting foreigners.
Thanks to Siemens鈥檚 tremendous contributions to Shanghai economy under his leadership, Shanghai Municipality honored Mr. Borger with White Magnolia Prize and National Friendship Prize.
Mr. Borger is the first foreigner in Shanghai to apply for a Chinese green card. This reflects the Chinese government鈥檚 acknowledgment of Siemens鈥檚 contribution to China.
China鈥檚 rapid economic growth means foreign investment in this country is on the rise. This is not to say that China cannot make progress by herself. But in order for a sustainable growth to continue, foreign investment is needed.
In 2004, the number of foreign entries to China went beyond 30 million. Foreign enterprises in China hit a record high of 510,000. Foreigners living in China exceeded 230,000. In Shanghai alone, there are over 100,000 foreigners with more than 30,000 of them working in the city. 80% of them work in 20,000 foreign enterprises throughout Shanghai as senior managements or senior experts.
While working in China, Dominique received many awards from the Chinese government due to his efforts. This is the reason why he obtained China鈥檚 green card.
Since 1985, the Chinese government has allowed more than 3,000 foreigners to settle in China. But, only 50 of them have been granted permanent residence.
With the introduction of the permanent residence system, over 80 foreigners in China have been granted Chinese green cards.
The hotel industry is one of the earliest Chinese industries to import advanced management models from overseas. And over the last 20 years, This industry has become compatible with international practice. And nowadays many foreigners can be found working for the Chinese hotel industry.
In 1982 the first joint-venture hotel, Beijing Jian鈥檊uo Hotel, was born, and the Chinese hotel industry has since begun attracting foreign investment whilst learning advanced management skills from foreign counterparts. Most of the joint-venture hotels in China perform fairly well. They also have more foreign staff than other companies. In such places you can enjoy services as superb as those in other parts of the world.
Mark J. DeCocinis came to work in the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai in 1997. The hotel not only successfully served a number of celebrities including US President George W. Bush, but also took the Title of Asia Best Business Hotel jointly launched by Asia Business Weekly and Bloomberg. It marks the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai has taken a seat in the first-tier hotels in the world.
After work, Mark doesn鈥檛 spend much time at home. But, as long as friends come to see him, Mark will take them out on his made-in-China motorcycle in the streets in Shanghai. Then, he will tell them about the development of the city. At that moment, he almost becomes local Shanghainese.
For foreigners, permanent residence represents their integration with the Chinese culture and their rights and obligations in China.
Being granted China鈥檚 green card acknowledges their contributions to China and the Chinese government鈥檚 expectations.
Nowadays people who come to China to live and work, keep on helping the country鈥檚 construction and progress. And at the same time they are earning a living here and realizing their dreams.
Lisa Carducci, who likes tea as much as the Chinese do, is a French-language expert of the Chinese government. She runs currently a French-language publication to introduce Chinese culture overseas with her Chinese colleagues. Lisa who has been working in China for 14 years really cherishes the honor.
In 1991, Lisa shed her work in Canada and resettled in Beijing. She takes China as her second hometown, and enjoys Chinese culture immensely. In her spare time, she travels all over and feels the cultural diversity of China.
Thanks to her rich experience in China, Lisa writes down social changes of China. She also expresses her unique views over culture, transportation, culture and new schools of thoughts in China. With 32 books published, she is absolutely productive!
Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Lisa lives with her Chinese husband, Mr. Du, in an ordinary Beijing local community. Lisa always treats her Chinese friends with both home-made Western and Chinese food. The way she uses Chinese chopsticks makes her no difference from Chinese local folks.
Lisa donates blood helping others. And that鈥檚 just one of the good things she does in China.
Thanks to Lisa鈥檚 contribution to the Chinese government, she has received many awards from the government. Though she doesn鈥檛 hold a Chinese passport, she has become Chinese in her mind.
China will, to some extent, limit the import of mediocrities from foreign countries, but will encourage senior experts to come to work in China. Now, every year China allows 440,000 foreign experts to come. Their demand to get foreigner鈥檚 permanent residence cards and be treated as other Chinese citizens increases!
Professor Chen Ning Yang was the 1957 Noble Prize Winner in Physics. In 1971, he came back to China after living in the US for 20 years. In 1996, he was awarded an honors doctoral degree from Tsinghua University. With a Chinese green card, he is leading a happy life at the University
In the early 30鈥檚 and 40鈥檚 various foreigners came to China to participate in the establishment of a 鈥淐ommunist China鈥. And since then they have been Communist China鈥檚 faithful friends.
After the 50鈥檚, just like every other Chinese, they began to live peaceful and passionate lives.
In 1946, influenced by Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow, 27-year-old Erwin Engst sold all of his cows and came to Yan鈥檃n, China. On his arrival, he was deeply impressed by the revolutionary atmosphere, and simple lifestyle of Yan鈥檃n.
In 1948, as a student of Chicago University, Joan Hinton came to China at invitation of Song Qingling, previous first lady of China.
In April 1949, Erwin married Joan in Yan鈥檃n.
In 1966, they two moved to Beijing to work as translators and proofreaders.
In 1972, they went to Beijing Red Star Commune where they engaged in the improvement of agricultural machinery and mechanization of cow-raising.
In 1982, they worked at Xiao Wang Village Experimental Farm, a program run by the Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Science.
In 2003, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Science granted them Personal Contribution Prize.
In December, 2003, Erwin passed away at age of 85 in Beijing.
Now Joan is still working here鈥
In Joan鈥檚 mind, the most important event of the 20th century was the Chinese revolution. She took part in it, and she felt lucky! Even at 84 she is still working every day as she can鈥檛 live on without cows. Another reason for that can be traced to the motto 鈥渨orking is glorious, while idling is shameful鈥, a popular saying some 50 years ago. To her, China is her own country, so she hates to be treated as a foreigner and decides to live in Beijing permanently.
Erwin and Joan, on their own, designed ventilated cow houses with constant temperature and other mechanic feeding, milking, and cleansing facilities. Subsequently, they introduced computerized management, which made Xiao Wang Village Farm sort of role model in the early phase of Chinese mechanized cow raising.
In 2003, a cow in Xiao Wang Village can produce 9,088-kilo milk every year, ranking first in China.
At the moment, Joan analyzes data of cows every day to continue her husband鈥檚 unfinished cause. Joan always says they come to China and live here for their entire life not merely for raising cows but for their beliefs. Their ultimate goal is to liberate the oppressed around the world.
According to regulations, four types of foreigners are eligible to apply for permanent residence. They are investors in China, senior experts in China, people with great contributions to China and their family members who need to come to China to get together with them.
Foreigners settling down in China who are able to obtain a green card, have not only recognized their rights in this country, but also new responsibilities. In today鈥檚 show we鈥檝e met just a few people who have been given the Chinese green card and so I hope with the ever increasing amount of foreigners coming to China, more and more will be eligible for it.
I鈥檓 Victoria Hamilton. Thanks for watching Rediscovering China.
Editor:Hu Source:CCTV.com
