The American Chamber of Commerce in China said that a US-China travel fast-track program, which allows for US business people and their families to more easily travel to China amid the pandemic, based on consensus reached during the two countries' leaders' summit last year, officially becomes effective from Thursday.

The program aims to provide a more efficient, predictable, and reliable channel for essential US company executives, technical personnel, and their dependents to enter China, AmCham China said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

During the China-US leaders' summit, China agreed to upgrade a fast-track arrangement to make it more convenient for the US business community to travel to China, prompting a positive response from American business circles.

According to the chamber, the program will enable qualified member companies to apply for a PU, or permission, letter from their local municipality and receive a reduced processing time and an increased likelihood of approval. Employees can then apply for a visa from their appropriate overseas Chinese embassy or consulate.

A sperate FAQ document also listed specific eligibility requirements for applying for the fast-track program and costs for participating in the program. The administrative fee for each PU letter application is RMB 7,000 ($1099.2).