Visa row with US escalates

The [Chinese] mainland has stopped offering visas on arrival for US passport holders at entry points such as Shenzhen and Zhuhai in an escalation of a diplomatic row over fingerprinting.

The [Chinese] Foreign Ministry said yesterday it would also require US diplomatic passport holders to apply for ordinary visas and pay visa fees when visiting the mainland in a private capacity, and ask some [Chinese] visa applicants in the US to appear for interviews.

The move came after the US rejected a request to review its decision to fingerprint Chinese citizens applying for non-immigrant [US] visas.

South China Morning Post
Wednesday 31 March 2004