Two Americans received permanent residence permits on Tuesday in south China's Hainan Province, becoming the first persons getting the green cards from the island.

 

Wang Andrew Wiquang and Eddie Stephen Mills have both been teaching for many years in Hainan and "contributed a lot to education" in the province, police sources said.

 

Wang Andrew Wiquang, a successful entrepreneur, began teaching in Hainan University in 1999 for free and won honors from the provincial government twice for his diligent work.

 

Eddie Stephen Mills and his family came to Hainan in 1993 and has been teaching since then. He was granted National Friendship Prize by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs in 2004 for his contribution to the education in poor minority regions in Hainan.

 

China adopted the "green card" policy in 2004 to open more to foreign nationals, which conforms with the international practice.

 

According to the regulations, high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in major businesses in the country or make a large amount of direct investment may apply for the permanent resident status in China, in addition to those who have made contributions to China.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2007)