AN ATTORNEY whose specialty is visas and work permits wasn’t very optimistic when asked Tuesday about Guam being approved for Chinese parole authority.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Nelson Xu, a partner in the law firm of Bauman, Kondas & Xu LLC. He reminded his audience at the Rotary Club of Guam-Sunrise that Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo confidently told him Guam would have the authority by the end of the year 2010, two years ago.
“I know that there are a lot of discussions between the government of Guam and the federal government,” Xu said, but not much progress. The Northern Mariana Islands has had Chinese and Russian parole authority for several years; and in January of this year, Guam was granted that authority regarding visitors from Russia, but not China.
“I really do not have any new update as to the status of the discussions,” the attorney added, “except I know that there are still ongoing discussions.”
Xu, who just returned from a visit to Shanghai, said he was amazed at the size of the Chinese outbound tourist market. If we should obtain the parole authority, he said, “I’m sure there will be a tremendous economic impact to the island.”
A naturalized U.S. citizen of Chinese descent, Xu already handles a lot of inquiries from Chinese businesses eager to invest in Guam. “As an immigration lawyer, I receive phone calls every week from China, asking how to invest in Guam and how to do business in Guam,” he said.
There are several avenues by which Chinese companies can set up their business in Guam and transfer their personnel here to manage those businesses, he explained, mentioning the “L-1” and “B” visas as examples.
But parole authority for China, the so-called China visa waiver, is the Holy Grail. It would open Guam up to the largest, fastest growing travel market in the world.
Xu concluded on a more positive note, saying the Russian program may pave the way for Guam to get China as well. “It does provide a valuable argument – probably a stronger argument – for us to push for parole status for China,” he said. “I just don’t know how long it will take.”
