Businesses in China, far from Beijing, are suffering collateral damage from new visa restrictions imposed in the run-up to the Olympics. The Los Angeles Times reports:
The Beijing Olympics in August may be China’s biggest international event in decades, but the Games have hardly been a windfall for many businesses in Yiwu, about 200 miles south of Shanghai, and in other cities that rely heavily on foreign customers. The main issue: China’s recently tightened visa restrictions, imposed ostensibly for public security reasons ahead of the Olympic Games.
The government is now requiring business-visa applicants to submit papers bearing official stamps from local governments and the hotels where they will be staying. What’s more, foreigners can no longer use Hong Kong as an easy gateway to enter mainland China, as many have done for years.
