The Chinese mainland will simplify the entry/exit and residence applications procedures for Taiwan compatriots, an official with the Ministry of Public Security said at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Li Changyou, deputy director of the Exit and Entry Administration under the Public Security, said those who stay in the mainland for more than one year can be issued residence stamps valid for one to five years.

Taiwan residents who have the stamps do not need entry or exit stamps when passing through mainland customs. Those who stay less than a year on the mainland can be granted multiple entries and do not need residence stamps.

The policy is expected to be officially implemented from July.

The public security departments of Shanghai Municipality and Jiangsu Province will be authorized to reissue "Taiwan Compatriot's Pass to the Mainland" to those who have lost their documents or whose documents expired.

Currently, only the public security department of Fujian Province and departments in Hong Kong and Macao have the authority to reissue the mainland pass. The policy is expected to be officially implemented in October.

Fujian Provincial Public Security Department is authorized to issue one-year multiple entry pass for those residents from Jinmen, Mazu and Penghu. The policy is already under implementation.

Under current regulation, only the provincial-level public security departments have the right to approve Taiwan compatriots' one-year residency and multiple-entry pass. In future, the approval rights will also be given to the county and city-level public security departments.

In normal circumstances, the multiple entries will be available in five working days. In an emergency, the application could be granted in one working day.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)