Visas to China now through LibanPost

Trading volume between China
and Lebanon tops $1.7 billion

Visas to China can now be obtained through LibanPost within six days at most. A memorandum of understanding was signed recently between Ali Masri, president of the Lebanese Chinese Business Council, and Khalil Daoud, director general of LibanPost, to make obtaining all types of visas to China and Hong Kong easier.

Masri said that the MoU aims to make it easier for businesspeople to obtain all kinds of Chinese visas: business, tourist, special visa to Hong Kong, and urgent visas. Visas can be obtained via LibanPost through their offices across the country for a fee of LL15,000. An urgent visa can be obtained within four days.

The memorandum aims to develop bilateral relations between the two countries, including economic ties, especially tourism. Masri said that more than 15,000 businesspeople and tourists travel to China from Lebanon each year. Trade volume between China and Lebanon tops $1.7 billion per year. Lebanese exports to China, however, account for a small portion of that figure, just $40 million, and consist mostly of food products.

The aim of the memorandum is also to promote Chinese investments in Lebanon. At present a few Chinese companies are engaged in public sector projects in the country, like the expansion of the Port of Tripoli.

Masri said that the Chinese could be interested in investing in building factories. A 20-member official Chinese delegation will visit Lebanon soon to study opportunities for future investment in the country. They also want also to promote Lebanese investments in China. Most Lebanese business activities in China are focused on shipping, import, export, and restaurants.

Reported by Abeer Darwiche