Chinese tech groups quit US trade fair as visa crackdown debars delegates
Chinese technology companies are pulling out of the industry's biggest US trade fair because delegates cannot obtain visas.
The move has fuelled fears that America risks losing business to rival international trade shows as a direct result of its immigration crackdown.
It comes amid growing concern that the tough visa climate is making it hard for business generally to build relations with China and could cost the US a slice of the potentially valuable Chinese tourist market.
With just six weeks to go before this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, as many as half the would-be Chinese delegates have had their visa applications turned down, organisers say.
“We as an industry, and as a nation, are losing dollars because of this," said Karen Chupka, the Consumer Industry Association vice-president in charge of the event which is expected to attract more than 2,400 exhibitors and 120,000 delegates.
“Many companies are deciding to exhibit in Europe rather than the US because of the visa problems.
“We have already had to give back money to Chinese exhibitors that have been unable to get visas for their employees. Now Chinese companies are applying for double the number of visas they need in the hope that they will get half of them.”
Prima Technology, one of the Chinese companies that has booked floor space at the Las Vegas CES, said three or four of its Chinese employees had so far had their Visa applications turned down.
Prima, part of Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Company which manufactures a wide variety of products including TVs, computer monitors and telecommunications equipment, and has an office in Washington, had been hoping to bring a 30 to 40-strong contingent to the show.
The State Department insisted consular officials were simply applying the law.
It said :“Nothing has changed, all visa applicants have to prove during the interview process that they are not an intending immigrant,” Consular officials, however, concede that some nations' citizens may find it harder than others to prove they plan to return home after their stay in the US.
Ms Chupka and other CEA officials fear that many of the Chinese companies that make up a growing contingent of exhibitors and delegates will switch to rival shows outside the US including CeBit, the annual technology fair in Hanover, Germany.
But Ms Chupka warned that if nothing was done the consumer electronics industry and other industries in the US would suffer.
Last month a third of the 48 senior Chinese government economists and business executives who planned to attend an economics conference in Seattle had their visa applications turned down, prompting protests from the Washington State China Relations Council which organised the event.
中国企业因签证受阻撤出美国展会
中国科技公司因参展成员无法获得入境签证而撤出在美国举行的科技行业最大型展览会。
此举加深人们担心美国移民限制措施的直接结果，会导致美国的业务被国际贸易展竞争对手夺走的危险。
出现这一状况，正值业界日益担心，苛刻的签证申请条件会使一般企业难以和中国建立联系，并可能使美国失去中国一部分有价值的潜在旅游市场。
目前离今年的拉斯维加斯消费电子产品展（Consumer Electronics Show）仅剩6周时间，但展会组织者说，多达一半想要参展的中国厂商代表在申请签证时遭到拒绝。
“从行业和国家的角度看，我们正因此而失去财富，”负责此次展览的消费者行业协会（Consumer Industry Association）副总裁凯伦?邱帕卡（Karen Chupka）说。预计这次展览将吸引2400多家参展厂商以及12万名参展代表。
“因为签证问题，很多企业决定去欧洲而不是美国参展。”
Prima Technology是在拉斯维加斯国际消费电子展上预订了展位的中国公司之一。该公司表示，迄今为止，有3至4名中国雇员的签证申请遭到拒签。
Prima是厦门华侨电子股份有限公司（Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Company，厦华电子）的子公司。厦华电子生产一系列范围广泛的产品，包括电视机、电脑显示器和通讯设备在内。公司在华盛顿设有办事处。公司一直希望派遣一个30至40人的团队参展。
美国国务院强调，领事官员只是在依法办事。
它表示：“没有什么变化，所有签证申请者都必须在会谈中证明他们没有移民倾向。”但领事官员承认，一些国家的公民可能会发觉，要证明他们计划在美国逗留后返回祖国比其它国家的人更加困难。
邱帕卡女士和消费电子协会的其他官员担心，中国企业参展商和代表团的数量不断增长，而其中不少将转向美国以外、与拉斯维加斯国际消费电子展竞争的展会，包括每年一度在德国汉诺威举行的高科技展会――汉诺威信息技术及通信展览会（CeBit）
