Shanghai issues first 10 new ‘green cards’

China Friday issued the country’s first 10 new version of identity cards to foreigners living in Shanghai amid existing complaints about low usability and acceptance of previous ones.

The new cards can be used for handling matters related to finance, education, transport, accommodation, communication, work, tax, social security, property registration and lawsuit, local news portal kankannews.com reported.

The first 10 permits were issued by the Shanghai Public Security Bureau to outstanding foreigners living in Shanghai.

The recipients include foreign investors, foreigners recommended by Shanghai municipal government and those who came to China through the Thousand Talents program, which was introduced by the State Council in December 2008 to attract highly skilled people from overseas, the report said.

China issued a total of 1,576 permanent residence certificates to foreigners in 2016, an increase of 163 percent over the previous year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

However, many foreigners who were granted residence permits previously had reportedly complained that their cards could not be accepted by many systems such as the train ticket purchase and online payment systems. They also complained about low recognitions of the card among the public.

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security launched a reform of permanent residence permits for foreigners in April to make the permits more acceptable and recognizable just like Chinese citizens’ identity cards.