I seem to remember a radical innovation by the Chinese government about 3 years ago... allowing foreigners to become permanent residents for the first time (a Chinese green card). I remember it got H-U-G-E articles in the China Daily News. It was never allowed before.

I wonder how hard it is for foreigners to to become an actual Chinese citizen...? I'm betting hell will freeze over first or you have a better chance of being hit by lightening.

Besides CN88, the China/Australia/Canada restrictions on Chinese based on race are over. However, we still have restrictions on the mentally unfit.

I would guess it was because there was a general distrust of anyone not of Christian European descent.

I think you would also find there was similar legislation against many ethnic and racial groups, not just Chinese.

But the previous posters had a good point, and in answering their questions you may well find the answer will apply equally to your own.

How many non-Chinese immigrants are there in China with full citizenship?

Less than 20 I have heard.

One more then Longshao-

Before the latest round of immigration from mainland China, the Chinese community in NZ were highly respected for their intelligence, work ethic, and law abiding behaviour.

The biggest shock for me when arriving in China was finding such a huge number of stupid, lazy people who didn't even understand the concept of rule by law.

This is so true...Asians who have been living in NZ for generations fit into our society quite well...actually I see no difference and they are hard working people too

Only the recent ones (after 2000 ) especially oversea students have caused a few problems...they don't even try to fit in and always socialze within their own little group...some are sneaky and try to cheat...some are rude, crude and totally unattractive (yep, since they have come over, Aussies are off the top list )

Oh, God! God! don't forget those Chinese govt delegation travellers!! I wish they ALL DIE from smoking...Hell, their govt officials are already so ill-mannered, let alone ordinary Chinese people!

man, can you imagine how embarrassing it's going to be when Yao decides he wants his kid to be a US citizen instead of Chinese?
I bet the CCP is putting all kinds of pressure and bribery on him to avoid that scenario.

I did a Yahoo search for this, "Yao Ming's Child to be American" and I got this,

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701&fp_ip=cn&p=Yao+Ming...

Chinese fear Yao Ming's child could be American

The fact that they "fear" it nicely epitomizes why China has a long way to go before it can join the ranks of respected world leaders.

Wefrucar, I bet you're right. Yao is probably getting all kinds of sticks and carrots thrown his way.

It isn't racism if it is against 'Chinese'.

Many nations in Asia didn't even allow foreigners to come in at all. Zero, none.

ya 88, so put that in your pipe and smoke it

Chinese racism;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjing_anti-African_protests

It works because that's what our civil affairs manager at my work told me-a man who works closely with the relevant govt departments and who is well connected.
He said don't bother because you will almost certainly not get it.

There are laws regulating the awarding of permanent residence and citizenship, but in the final analysis these are all awarded on a case by case basis at the discretion of the relevant government department.

How many non-Chinese do you know with Chinese nationality? And please don't use the HK argument again, that's entirely different as you well know.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

America probably placed a ban on Chinese in the 19th century because of the massive population in China and huge numbers of people who would travel to America for work if they didn't. If they hadn't, then today, who knows it could be Chinerica.
Also China, Japan and Tibet all used to have totally closed doors policies.
Your (longshao) idea that it is easy to get a visa in China is somewhat correct but with a few caveats - it is a grey legal area which could and has been (Olympics, October 1st celebrations) shut down during sensitive times, forcing anyone on said visa to leave China.
The visa rules for other countries may be stricter and take longer to get but once you have them it is a legal document.
Also your idea that America or any other place is more racist than China is laughable. Both countries have their racists. As you well know foreigners are likened to monkeys in China and uncivilised, long nosed barbarians and regularly shouted at (hellooooo) and stared at in the street (you might like to know that some people in the west think of Chinese as being like monkeys because they're small, brown and bandy legged....how ironic)
So, I think your painting of China being a paradise for foreigners is pushing it just a tad. It may have been during the Tang dynasty, but that is just one small period in China's history.