He said better immigration policies will help the country to further recruit overseas talent and to attract more foreign investment.

"More foreign capital may arrive with ... more foreigners. It will raise their expectations about the opportunities that China can offer."

Ada Jen, a United States citizen and administrator at an international school in Beijing, said a large number of her friends in China want to obtain a Chinese green card, but they are struggling to meet the requirements.

Jen has lived in China for more than 27 years and obtained a green card in 2011 after she qualified as an important foreign expert to the country, but many of her friends are not so fortunate.

Under existing rules, foreign employees working in seven types of companies or institutions, including national laboratories, engineering research centers, technology centers at state-accredited high-tech companies and foreign-funded research and development centers, are able to apply for green cards.

Applicants must hold professional titles at or above associate professor or associate fellow level and have worked in China for more than four years. They must also have sound tax records.

Foreigners with permanent residence will enjoy the same rights as Chinese citizens in areas such as investment, house purchases and schooling.

Jen said, "As in countries such as the US, China should draft a category list of the talent it requires prior to green card policies. If the country needs nurses, then issue more green cards to nurses."

Xinhua contributed to this story.

Contact the writers through zhuzhe@chinadaily.com.cn

Highlights

The Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform also adopted a series of guidelines covering issues such as:

1. A "negative list" approach to regulating market access;

2. A policy to relax border controls, allowing border cities to explore new ways of economic cooperation with neighboring countries;

3. A guideline on improving pricing mechanisms in key fields;

4. A policy to encourage State-owned enterprises to absorb private capital;

5. A guideline on deepening reform of the lawyer system to protect lawyers' rights;

6. A guideline on setting up a professional career path for judges and prosecutors to differentiate them from other civil servants;

7. A guideline to be launched on approving pilot projects on remuneration for judges and prosecutors.