(YIN BOGU)

Edmund Thomas Downie shows his visa to the press after becoming the first American citizen to be issued one of the new visas valid for entry within 10 years at the Visa Department of the Chinese Embassy to the United States in Washington D.C. on November 12.

Starting on November 12, under a new agreement announced during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing, China and the United States will grant each other's citizens business or tourist visas valid for entry within 10 years time. The validity of student visas will also be extended to up to five years.