English-language Legal Hotline
For the last three years, the Beijing Bureau of Justice has offered a phone service to foreigners in China seeking legal advice for business and related concerns. The bureau estimates that the service has helped more than half a million callers. This summer the service added an English-language option. Callers can dial (010) 160-0148 during weekday business hours.


Practical English Test for Chinese Business Professionals
China’s WTO membership and 2008 Olympic commitments have compelled the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) to create a practical and conversational English test for Chinese business professionals as a part of its training initiative. Testing will begin in late 2003 or early 2004.

Educational Testing Service (ETS), based in Princeton, New Jersey, signed a $70 million contract with Beijing Topeak International Education Investment, Co., Ltd. to provide the standardized test over the next five years. ETS is currently responsible for managing several exams, such as the Graduate Record Exam and the Test of English as a Foreign Language, in China.


China Establishes Antidumping Service Centers
The Investigation Bureau of Industry Injury, under SETC, has approved the establishment of an antidumping consulting service center under the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and a separate general antidumping center in Xiamen, Fujian. The centers will conduct research on antidumping, antisubsidy, and safeguard measures and will provide judicial consultation and training. They will also assist in investigative work on injury cases involving foreign imported products that are subject to antidumping, antisubsidy, or safeguard measures, and analyze the enforcement and impact of such cases.


Visa, MasterCard Announce Links to PRC ATM Network
Foreign travelers to Beijing are now able to withdraw cash from more outlets than the few Bank of China and other ATMs throughout the city. Since June 27, Visa International Service Association has linked up with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s (ICBC) 780 Beijing ATMs. Visa also announced a link-up with China UnionPay Co., a for-profit PRC company launched in March to integrate China’s disparate banking card systems into one centralized, compatible network. MasterCard International Inc. quickly followed Visa in joining the UnionPay network and announced that ICBC ATMs would soon accept foreign currency cards bearing its logo.

In a related move, Visa announced that it is also planning to issue foreign-currency, tourist debit cards later this year to Chinese citizens through its partner Chinese banks. Chinese citizens hoping to use the card will be required to deposit foreign currency into the debit card account before using the card overseas. Neither of the two expanded operations signal a relaxation of strict State Administration of Foreign Exchange controls, as the operations do not involve conversion of renminbi to foreign currency, a process that involves documentation and approval.