Guest: Zhang Ning, Spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration, P. R. C and Deputy Director of the Department of General Affairs

Location: Beijing

Time: April 19, 2023

The National Immigration Administration released main immigration management data for Q1 2023 at a routine online press conference on April 19, 2023. Zhang Ning, spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration and deputy director of the Department of General Affairs, briefed journalists on the situation and answered their questions.

[Zhang Ning, Spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration, P. R. C and Deputy Director of the Department of General Affairs]:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Journalists, Good Morning! Welcome to our press conference. Today, I will brief you on the status of immigration management for the first quarter of 2023 and take your questions.

This year, immigration management authorities across China have, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully studied and implemented the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Central Economic Work Conference, the Central Political and Legal Work Conference and the Two Sessions. In accordance with the requirements laid down at the National Conference of Public Security Directors and the National Immigration Management Conference, they have maintained the keynote which emphasizes coordinated development, security and political and economic stability, gave full play to their own functions, continued to push through immigration management reform and innovation. They have intensified efforts to fight against crimes that threaten border control, strengthened the management of foreign nationals who illegally enter, reside or work in China, spared no effort to ensure political security and border stability, and worked strenuously to fuel high-level opening up and high-quality development. Thanks to these measures, exit and entry management has been proceeding stably and orderly, giving a good start to immigration management.

In the first quarter, China's immigration management authorities ran 65.065 million checks on entry-exit tourists, of which 32.351 million were made on Chinese mainland residents, 29.488 million were made on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and 3.226 million on foreign nationals. A total of 4.123 million checks were made on means of transport (including ships, trains and vehicles), of which 75,000 were made on aircraft, 88,000 on ships, 21,000 on trains and 3.939 million on vehicles. A total of 5.122 million ordinary passports were issued, 19.146 million endorsements were given to exit-entry permits for travelers to and from Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan (China), 604,000 passes were processed for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents coming to and departing from the Chinese mainland, over 9,500 port visas were issued, more than 4,600 ordinary visa extensions, renewals and reissues were approved for foreign nationals, over 186,000 residence and stay permits were issued to foreigners in China, 7.53 million identity authentication services were provided for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and overseas Chinese who used entry-exit documents to get social matters done, and the 12367 service platform received and handled more than 1.5 million calls from consulting, advice-giving and whistle-blowing Chinese and foreigners.

[A journalist from the Southern Metropolis Daily]:

Chinese mainland residents' demand for entry and exit permits spiked after COVID-19 management was downgraded from Class A to Class B. What measures has the National Immigration Administration taken to ensure that people can conveniently obtain permits?

[Zhang Ning, Spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration, P. R. C and Deputy Director of the Department of General Affairs]:

The National Immigration Administration sees it as its long-term goal to provide desirable entry and exit services for people and to meet their growing demand for travel abroad. In response to the COVID-19 management downgrade, the National Immigration Administration tweaked its immigration management policies and directed exit and entry management authorities under local public security organs to provide necessary convenience for mainland residents intending to resume work and production, conduct business negotiations, pursue overseas studies and get together with family members. It resumed the handling and approval of ordinary passport applications from Chinese mainland residents wishing to travel or pay visits abroad, as well as the processing of visa applications from mainland residents wishing to travel or do business in Hong Kong. It further put in place entry and exit policies and measures such as the "All-in-One" policy, and did everything possible for applicants who applied for entry and exit documents on legitimate grounds. Exit and entry management authorities under local public security organs increased police force, improved services and made adequate emergency preparations to ensure efficiency in exit and entry document handling and to maximumly meet people's needs.

[A journalist from Phoenix TV]:

What measures have been taken by the National Immigration Administration to serve foreigners coming to and staying in China and promote normal exchanges between Chinese and foreigners? What are the results?

[Zhang Ning, Spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration, P. R. C and Deputy Director of the Department of General Affairs]:

After COVID-19 management was downgraded from Class A to Class B, the National Immigration Administration optimized its immigration management policies and resumed accepting and approving the extension, renewal and reissue of foreigners' ordinary visas on January 8, 2023, as well as the issue, renewal and reissue of stay permits and the issue, extension, renewal and reissue of residence permits. We resumed the issuance of port visas and implemented the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, and provided expedited permit application services for applicants with urgent needs. From March 15, 2023, foreigners with visas issued before March 28, 2020 which are still within the validity period will be allowed to enter China, and the visa-free policies for entry into Hainan, Shanghai cruise ships, Hong Kong and Macao foreigners entering Guangdong and ASEAN tour groups entering Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will be restored. According to statistics, since January 8, the number of visas issued by exit and entry management authorities under public security organs across the country has increased by 40 percent year on year and nearly 3,000 people were granted visa-free transits. The downgrading of COVID-19 management has enabled the National Immigration Administration to achieve remarkable results in optimizing immigration management policies and measures and ensuring normal exchanges between Chinese and foreign nationals living in China.

[A journalist from the China Media Group]:

With the gradual and orderly resumption of customs clearance at ports and the increase in international passenger routes, inbound and outbound traffic has increased rapidly. What measures has the National Immigration Administration taken to ensure smooth customs clearance at ports?

[Zhang Ning, Spokesperson of the National Immigration Administration, P. R. C and Deputy Director of the Department of General Affairs]:

After the downgrading of COVID-19 management, entry and exit flow at ports increased rapidly, imposing new requirements for port customs clearance. The National Immigration Administration directed border inspection authorities across the country to level up services, double down on dynamic management, boost inspection efficiency and ensure smooth and orderly border port operation. Adequate efforts will be made to prepare the police force, open up channels and ramp up guidance to expedite passenger customs clearance. The time that Chinese citizens spend queuing up to enter or depart China will be limited to no more than 30 minutes. The "Two Announcements, One Tip" guideline will be put in place to ease passenger flow during peak hours on holidays. The public will be kept up to date on when the peak hours will come for passengers entering or departing the country through border ports on holidays, as well as border ports' preparations for handling peak-hour passenger flow. Passengers will be prompted to heed the do's and don'ts and given relevant travel suggestions. To avoid industry chain and supply chain disruptions, entry and exit airports will open up "green channels" to facilitate key cargo flights, land border ports will establish "fast tracks" for vehicles carrying key material supplies, and the "ship-boarding code for border inspection" will be declared online in waterborne transport ports. In addition, ships on international voyages that arrive in ports will not "wait" for one single minute before goods are unloaded from them, nor will they be delayed by inspection when departing. All these measures can ensure efficient and smooth freight customs clearance and give new impetus to the high-quality development of the country.