More and more APEC business travel cards are being issued in Wenzhou, boosting commerce and trade. [Photo/WeChat account: zhongjiehaiwai]
The city of Wenzhou – the port and industrial metropolis in East China's Zhejiang province – has issued over 1,000 APEC business travel cards in 2024, bringing the total to more than 3,000, officials announced at a promotional event on Feb 18.
The APEC business travel card simplifies travel for business executives by granting visa-free access to 16 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC – the regional trading, economic and investment bloc. It allows multiple entries over five years with extended stays and fast-track clearances.
It's become a crucial tool for Wenzhou's enterprises, with over 300 of them conducting annual trade exceeding $10 million with APEC nations.
To further streamline things, Wenzhou has improved the applications process – removing paperwork requirements and expanding services under its "Foreign Affairs Empowering Enterprises" initiative. This is said to have contributed to a steady recovery in the city's foreign trade.
Local businesses are already seeing benefits. Lin Zhiyang from Andeli Group, based in Yueqing city – administered by Wenzhou – shared how APEC cardholders recently quickly reached Moscow to resolve technical issues, earning customer trust and boosting the company's reputation.
Wenzhou authorities plan to continue optimizing the program, ensuring more businesses leverage its advantages to expand their global trade.
