Business People Enter China without Visa

Korean businessmen will be able to enter China without a visa.

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) announced yesterday that Korean business people who have the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) would be allowed to enter China without a visa. They will go through an exclusive entry process at airports in China

“China has allowed the entry of people with the ABTC, without visas, after becoming a member of the ABTC at the Third APEC Senior Officials Meeting held in September in Chile,” the KITA said.

The ABTC was created in 1998 among eight nations, including Korea, in order to remove the visa barrier among business people for trade facilitation in the Asia Pacific region.

With the accession of China, the ABTC now has 14 members, including Korea, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Brunei, Japan, Peru, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

Business people with the ABTC can stay in China, without a visa, for 60 days maximum.

Companies whose capital exceeds more than 50 billion won in the year before applying for the card; companies that have more than 1,000 employees; companies that attracted more than $10 million in foreign investments; and executives or employees in charge of foreign marketing who reap export or import results of more than $5 million will be able to get the ABTC, the Ministry of Justice said.

Businesses applying for the card should have export or import performances of more than $100,000 with the ABTC members on the basis of last year, or have made direct investment in the countries. For more information: 02-6000-5484

Keuk-In Bae bae2150@donga.com