Barack Obama announces new visa deal in bid to improve ties with China
US president announced deal to extend visas for Chinese visitors to the US for up to a decade, insisting he wants China "to do well" despite tensions between the world's two largest economies.
US President Barack Obama has announced a deal to extend visas for Chinese visitors to the United States for up to a decade, insisting he wants China "to do well" despite simmering tensions between the world's two largest economies.
"The United States welcomes the rise of a prosperous, peaceful and stable China," Obama said in a speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing yesterday.
Under the visa agreement, US and Chinese citizens will be able to obtain business and short-term tourist visas valid for 10 years, up from one year currently. Student and cultural exchange visas would be made valid for five years rather than just one year, Obama said.
There were 1.8 million Chinese visitors to the US last year, Obama said, contributing US$21 billion to the economy and supporting more than 100,000 jobs.
"This agreement could help us more than quadruple those numbers," he said, describing it as an "important breakthrough which will benefit our economies, bring our people together".
"I'm pleased that President Xi Jinping has been a partner in getting this done."
Watch: Obama says he wants China 'to do well'
