Green cards decision to bear fruit for foreigners

Permanent residents' permits, or green cards, have been notoriously difficult to obtain in China, and many people believe they are of little use.

They claim that apart from being long-term visas, green cards can hardly be used to open bank accounts or buy train tickets.

But now the Chinese authorities are introducing new policies to increase the practical use of green cards, with the goal of attracting top talent to the country.