China’s immigration agency has pledged to further open up the country “at a stable pace” while calling for more efforts to fend off what it called infiltration by “hostile forces”.
“[We must] open up the immigration services system at a stable pace, comprehensively implement more positive and effective policies to attract, keep and gather overseas talent,” officials were told at an annual meeting of the National Immigration Administration in Beijing.
There was also a call for more international cooperation on managing immigration, according to a statement on the agency’s website on Tuesday.
In addition, immigration officials were told to combat infiltration and disruption by “hostile forces”, as well as illegal cross-border activities, to “fully safeguard the nation’s political security, border stability and management of immigration”.
Cadres at Monday’s meeting were told they needed a “profound understanding” of China’s current and future circumstances, the statement said without elaborating.
But China’s rivalry with the West and a national security drive – that has seen anti-espionage and state secrets legislation tightened and raids of foreign consulting firms – has had a chilling effect.
Foreigners who stayed during China’s Covid lockdowns are now leaving. Why?
Foreigners who stayed during China’s Covid lockdowns are now leaving. Why?
Most recently, while visiting Switzerland and Ireland this month, Premier Li Qiang said nationals of the two countries would be able to enter China without visas.
Foreign visitors accounted for just 8.4 per cent of the total inbound and outbound trips last year, according to the latest immigration data.
That compares to 2019, before the pandemic, when foreign visitors made up 14.6 per cent of cross-border travel.
The number of foreign residents in China last year was also 15 per cent below that of 2019, according to immigration data released last week.
In recent months, state media has also been highlighting the need to attract more foreign talent to China to boost innovation and entrepreneurship and revive the economy.
The State Council on Monday released a plan calling for redoubled efforts to draw international talent to Shanghai’s Pudong district for a “high-level opening up”, including by making it easier for foreigners to live in China.
