On Saturday, China's public security authorities announced that from June 16, it will launch new versions of machine-readable identity cards with greater usability for foreigners who have permanent residency status.

上周六，公安机关宣布，从6月16日起，新版可机读的中国“绿卡”将正式发布。这种新版“绿卡”将给拥有中国长期居留权的外国人带来极大便利。

What's new?

新版绿卡功能

• Name changes

        名称更改

The current "permanent residence card" would be changed to "permanent residence ID card". Moreover, Chinese and English explanations will be added to recognize it as the valid ID document.

将“外国人永久居留证”更名为“外国人永久居留身份证”，强化身份认证功能。同时，在证件上增加中英文说明，明确其是可单独使用的身份证件。

• Chip embedded

        嵌入芯片

A chip will be embedded in the new card to make it machine-readable as Chinese ID card.

参照第二代居民身份证优化证件设计，统一技术标准，在证件中嵌入芯片存储证件签发管理信息，实现第二代居民身份证阅读机具识别核验。

• Information shared

        信息共享 

Railway, airline, social insurance, hotel, bank systems will be updated so that information among them can be shared, which means new ID card can be the valid document when buying train & air ticket, etc.

改造铁路、民航、保险、宾馆、银行等相关信息系统，实现永久居留外国人信息部门间共享。

The benefits of new green card

新绿卡有什么用？

• Apply for Chinese driving licence

• Set up the bank account

• Buy train & air ticket, etc

• Buy Chinese social insurance and house funding

• Buy properties

• Check in at the hotel

• Children get schooling without extra fees

• 申请中国驾照

• 开设银行账户

• 购买火车票、机票

• 购买中国社保和公积金

• 买房

• 入住酒店

• 子女可以在当地入学，且不用缴纳其它费用

Foreigners' responses

外国人怎么说

I think it (the ID card) would be much better than anything else, a Latvian anchor who has worked at broadcast companies in Beijing and Tianjin for years, told the Global Times on Tuesday, requesting anonymity. "If you have such an ID card, you don't have to carry your passport all the time. And passports are bigger, and I do not feel (it's) safe to carry it around," she said.

“没有比获得新版居留身份证更棒的事了。”一位不愿透露姓名的拉脱维亚主持人表示。她一直在北京、天津的广播公司工作。“如果你有这样一张‘身份证’，就不用随身带着护照了。尤其是护照比较大，随身携带也不安全。”

However, several foreigners living and working in Beijing revealed a lack of interest, saying that the threshold to get permanent residency status is incredibly high, and many view it as a "mission impossible."

然而，在北京生活和工作的部分外国人表示对这个消息没太大兴趣。他们说获得中国永久居留权的门槛高得难以置信，许多人都将拿到中国绿卡视为“不可能完成的任务”。

In 2016, 1,576 foreigners became permanent residents in China, an increase of 163 percent over the previous year, according to the MPS. China began to allow permanent residency in 2004, but from 2008 to 2014, only 7,356 foreigners were granted permanent residence cards.

公安机关的统计数据显示，2016年有1,576名外国人成为了中国永久居民，相比前一年增加了163%。中国从2004年开始承认外国人永久居留权，但2008 年到2014年之间，只有7,356名外国人获批了永久居留证。

Source: Global Times

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