China hopes the United States will stop fingerprinting Chinese visa applicants, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing on Thursday.

Kong made the remark at a press conference when answering questions about the US decision on March 22 to collect the fingerprints of Chinese people who apply for a US visa.

According to the US embassy, this practice was targeted at most visa applicants from the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, and excluded Canada and 27 countries in Europe.

China understands the US consideration about domestic security after the September 11 tragedy, but it is "totally unnecessary" to fingerprint Chinese visa applicants, said Kong.

Kong said the two countries exchanged over one million people last year, and the bilateral trade, cultural and educational cooperations are expanding in recent years.

According to the spokesman, the United States has tightened the visa policy for Chinese applicants in recent years, which has already caused inconveniences for exchanges.

After several negotiations by the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the United States, China "regrets" to see that the United States continues and even strengthens the policy, said the spokesman.

Although China has taken countermeasures against the US fingerprinting decision, it is "open" to discussion on simplifying procedures of, and promoting, personnel exchange between the two countries, Kong said.

China decided on Tuesday to take countermeasures against the US decision to fingerprint Chinese visa applicants.

The measures include granting ordinary visas and levying a visa fee for US personnel who hold diplomatic or service passports who are traveling for personal purposes according to their intention and requiring interviews with some US citizens who are applying for visas to China in the Chinese embassy and consulates.

The decision also banned US citizens from applying for visas upon their arrival, noting that the visa must have been granted before they enter China
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2004)