The annual CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) is set to take place in Las Vegas, the US. It is reported that around 4,000 exhibitors from around the world have registered to attend, with more than 30 percent of them coming from China. However, latest media reports indicated that many employees from Chinese technology companies were denied US visas despite holding invitations to attend. Some commentators have called this visa rejection "unprecedented." So far, there has been no official response from the US government on this matter. We urge the US Department of State to verify relevant reports as soon as possible, reduce visa and entry policy obstacles, facilitate normal people-to-people business and industrial exchanges between the two countries, and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.
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For this reason, the large-scale visa denials faced by Chinese companies have left even the American side, including the event organizers, stunned. Chris Pereira, the founder of iMpact, a New York-based consultancy, said exhibitions like CES were "wonderful opportunities for business exchanges between companies from China, the US, and the rest of the world, but now it is frustrating to see even events like this being impacted."
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In the past, some Chinese companies were unable to attend CES mainly due to the impact of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US, but this is the first time that large-scale visa issues have been the obstacle. Even people in the US immediately suspected that this was politically motivated, rather than being due to any "technical reasons."
This visa things has been going on for a few years now.
Used to familiar with a biotech company in china, they were working with an american firm to do testing and needed to send about 30 employees over. Despite having invitations from the american company and all documents in order, around half of them got rejected with no stated reason. (Apparently the policy is that they do not need to give a reason to reject visa) Almost like they needed to hit a certain rejection quota.
I've visited a handful of countries myself. US, by a long shot, is the hardest to get a visa from. Even with a visa, they had the most strict customs to pass through, treating everyone as a possible threat/illegal migration risk. And I've been led to a separate room and been told to wait more than once.(I'm probably on a list or something) Love the place but I'm not planning on visiting any time soon.