[4] On April 17, 2017, the Ministry of Public Security introduced a reform plan to improve permanent residence permits for foreigners, which includes renaming the permit and a redesign to align with the second-generation resident ID card, include a chip for storing management information, and work with existing ID card readers.

[5] On February 27, 2020, the Ministry of Justice publicly solicited opinions on the Regulations on the Administration of Permanent Residence of Foreigners.

[6] On August 11, 2022, the National Immigration Administration stipulated that foreign Chinese with a doctorate degree can apply for permanent residence in China after submitting relevant materials.

[10] The foreign permanent resident ID card is a legal identification document for individuals residing in China, and it can be used independently when proving personal identity in various affairs such as financial transactions, education, healthcare, transportation, accommodation, communication, employment, taxation, social insurance, property registration, litigation, etc.

According to the National Immigration Administration, the conveniences of holding the permanent residence ID card mainly include the following aspects: According to the Management Measures for the Permanent Residence Approval of Foreigners in China approved by the State Council of China,[9] foreigners applying for permanent residence in China shall abide by Chinese laws, be in good health, have no criminal record, and meet one of the following conditions: The time limits referred to in this article all refer to the continuous period before the application date.