Beijing and Tianjin plan to allow 6 day transit visas by the end of the year. These allow you to enter China for up to 144 hours — up from 72 hours today — without a visa in advance providing you are arriving from and departing to different countries (and for this purpose Hong Kong counts as a different country).

This is generally available to residents of Schengen and several other European countries; the US; Canada; Mexico; Brazil; Argentina; Chile; Australia and New Zealand; South Korea; Japan; Singapore; the UAE and Qatar; and Brunei.

The cities of Beijing and Tianjin, along with Hebei province, will allow 144-hour visa-free entry for nationals from certain countries and regions by the end of 2017, a vice-mayor of Beijing said on Thursday.

…Cheng Hong, a vice-mayor of Beijing, said the policy will extend the visa-free time for travelers from some countries who want to visit the three areas. Currently, the maximum stay in Beijing and Tianjin is 72 hours.

…Cheng made the remarks at a news conference on a comprehensive pilot plan, which the State Council promulgated in late July, to further open up the capital’s service industry.

This is part of a plan to make visiting the region easier in order to facilitate foreign investment.

When I lived in Arlington, Virginia and went to get a business license I first had to get approval for a parking plan. In order to get approval I needed to submit a drawing. The drawing was of my car in my parking space in the garage beneath my apartment. The drawing had to be stamped, and then I had to physically carry it over to the office which would grant me approval for a business.

Back in 2009 I participated in a program called ‘Leadership Arlington’ where the County Manager gave a talk in which he described it as ‘a privilege’ to be allowed to do business in Arlington.

Beijing wants to make it far easier than Arlington, Virginia to start a business. And at a time when US airlines are fighting for protectionism Beijing’s change seeks to encourage foreign investment… even in aviation.

Cheng made the remarks at a news conference on a comprehensive pilot plan, which the State Council promulgated in late July, to further open up the capital’s service industry.

Under the plan, the local authorities will reduce investment restrictions in major service sectors, including aviation, culture and arts, publication, banks, legal services, tourism and medical research and development.

By streamlining regulations, Beijing expects to offer one-stop service to foreign investors considering the capital by the end of this year.

Foreign investors who intend to set up a business in the city are now required to obtain about 15 licenses and certificates issued by 11 departments. The materials include an administrative license, information collection and management filings.

“Within this year, they will just need one single license,” Chen said. “By sharing repeated basic information among different departments and making the registration procedures available online, the whole process will only take five working days.”

There are many challenges doing business in China, but of course aviation is one of the most highly regulated, cronyist, and protected industries in the U.S.

(HT: Loyalty Lobby)