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China eases rules for US business travelers

China eases rules for US business travelers

By Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - China will reduce the time it takes for travel approvals for U.S. business executives to no more than 10 days, its ambassador to the United States said on Thursday, vowing to lend "a listening ear " to concerns raised by companies.

Qin Gang, who arrived in the United States in July, told a dinner hosted by the US-China Business Council that Beijing would also work to make COVID-19 testing more convenient and allow executives to work during quarantine. .

Qin said Beijing was adopting President Xi Jinping's suggestions on improving "fast-track" travel arrangements, in response to US concerns about the resumption of business travel announced after Xi met US President Joe Biden last month.

"With the improved agreement, the time needed for travel approval will be shorter, no more than 10 working days," he said.

China eases rules for travelers from US business

Qin said Beijing would share its specific work plan "very soon" with the US Centers for Disease Control

He said Beijing was committed to putting into practice the spirit of Xi and Biden's recent virtual summit, and injecting "more positive energy into our relations."

Qin advocated strengthening cooperation in the manufacturing, financial services and energy sectors.

He also repeated Beijing's call for Washington to remove additional tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by the Trump administration.

Marc Allen, Boeing Co's chief strategy officer, welcomed the fast-track announcement, and a separate decision by China's aviation authority to issue an airworthiness directive on the Boeing 737 MAX, which will pave the way for the model's return to service in China after more than two and a half years.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Lincoln Feast, and Kim Coghill; Translated by Tomás Cobos)

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