Smart 'green cards' now available

A new ID card designed to give foreign permanent residents easier access to public services in China was issued across the country on Friday to expats holding "green cards".

The machine-readable Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card - similar to the second-generation ID cards held by Chinese citizens that store information about the card holder on an embedded chip - can be used independently as legal proof of identity when dealing with such issues as finance, education, health, communication, accommodations, telecommunication, employment, taxes, social security, property registration and lawsuits in China.

While the new card can be used by itself for such transactions, the previous permanent resident's permit needed to be used along with the holder's passport.