Who says the Olympics are good for business in China? It seems sacrilegious to say otherwise. The night that China was awarded the Olympics, I was at a party at the State Guest Hotel in Beijing. Boxing promoter Don King was there, as well as other luminaries. There were superstar hopes for the Olympics, and for China.

Talk that night and subsequent months/years was how much money there was to be made because the Olympics were coming to China. Because of the Olympics, landlords in Beijing jacked up their residential rates (how does that make sense?). Because of the Olympics, people had to move from the center of the city to the outskirts to make room for new office buildings (what do office buildings have to do with the Olympics?). Because of the Olympics, hundreds of elderly Beijing residents learned English (what about other languages?). Because of the Olympics, mobile phone companies expected higher revenues for 2008 because of the expected need for more calls and services (huh?).

Now business visas for foreigners to come to China have hit a roadblock. As China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong says (via an email from Amcham Shanghai):

Visa applicants are increasing in a large number and need longer waiting time in the visa office recently. If you don't reside or work in Hong Kong permanently, you are required to apply Chinese visa from the Embassy or Consulate-General of Peoples' Republic of China in your resident country. You are welcome to come to China for tourism, business, or visit for the Olympic Games.

We have already run into a problem that is compounded by the issue above. One of our staff in China is a foreigner and is turning 60 this year. Once he turns 60, we can not issue him a Z-visa anymore because supposed official policy in China is not to issue Z-visas to foreigners over 60 because they "should be retired". So we are stuck with issuing him an F-visa, but his F-visa is only good for 3 months because of the above new rule (rather than 6-12 months). Therefore, during the Olympics he will most likely be working in our Hong Kong office rather than our Beijing office. Sort of ridiculous? He rents a place in Beijing, has lived in Beijing for years, has a strong desire to work, but he has to "retire".