China will offer favorable visa policies to an expected influx of foreign visitors next year, when Beijing hosts the 2008 Olympic Games, a senior immigration official said yesterday.

Anyone with valid Olympic Identity and Accreditation Cards (OIAC) will be allowed to enter China without a visa one month before and after the Olympics, Li Changyou, deputy director of the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said at a press conference.

The Games will be held from August 8 to 24, meaning cardholders will be able to enter the country without a visa from July 8 to September 24.

It is a common practise for host countries to offer visa-free entry to OIAC holders. The OIAC is a personalized card granted by the International Olympic Committee (ICO) that gives its holder the right to attend the Games for participation or in a work capacity.

Li said China had already loosened some requirements, including the granting of one-year work permits to people coming to work in the run up to the 2008 Games.

China currently offers visa-free entries to nationals of three countries Singapore, Brunei and Japan but only for 15-day visits.

Visitors from the United States, Canada, South Korea, Australia and several European countries can stay for 48 hours without a visa if they enter via Shanghai.

Li said China might offer some other favorable policies next year to make it easier for foreign visitors to enter China. "We will respect Olympic conventions and the Olympics' Charter, and consider anything that is beneficial to ensuring a successful Games."

(China Daily 01/26/2007 page3)