Even married women traveling alone seem to suffer, too. I once sponsored a lady who had been offered a place to study for her MBA in Cambridge. At her interview, a very surly female consular official seemed to be constantly trying to trap her into admitting that, once she got to the UK, she'd find the lifestyle so attractive she wouldn't want to return home.

This ignored the fact that the lady was married to an extremely important figure in the medical profession, had a small son she was leaving behind, and would, in fact, face an inferior quality of life in Cambridge than the one she enjoyed in Beijing. She had to undergo a second interview before gaining grudging acceptance.

Fortunately, these Gestapo-style interviews have now been abandoned by the British and applicants just have to submit all the necessary documents and then wait many weeks to find out their fate.

The US, however, still seems to place great store on face-to-face interrogation. The whole process seems highly intrusive. Applicants are also asked to provide bank statements, property deeds, marriage licenses and hukou (Chinese household identification card), suggesting they aren't people America really wants to welcome.

By comparison, I have been traveling to and from China for over 20 years and have never had the slightest trouble. Indeed, I have always found Chinese consular staff extremely courteous and accommodating. For a tourist visa, I have submitted a simple form and photograph and returned one or two days later to collect my passport; for residence, one obviously needs documentation regarding employment or sponsoring organization; but that's it -certainly no interrogation.

Ambassador Locke, in a recent speech in Beijing, said: "We know that if we want to strengthen our commercial relationship with China and create jobs in America that we need to make it easier for Chinese businesspeople and tourists to travel to the United States."

Agreed. You only have to look at the numbers: The US Department of Commerce expects a 232% increase in Chinese tourists by 2016, while the number of Chinese students entering the country for study grew 485% from 2005 to 2010. Then, you factor in the huge increase in business contacts.

The UK figures are more modest, but Chinese students currently contribute 2bn pounds to the British economy and the government wants to see this increase tenfold by the end of the decade.

Obviously that's a heavy workload for consular officials. But, how about being a bit more welcoming?

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.jhzsvip.com/opinion/geoffreymurray.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.