Originally Posted by
seawolf
Based on the fact that US/Canada are transitional ABTC countries which means the US/Canada ABTC application process does not involve sending the application over to other ABTC countries for "pre-clearance."
Pre-clearance is what exempts the visa requirements. Pre-clearance approval would result in the approval country's
endorsement to appear on the back of the ABTC. Check the back of your card. If it does not have CHN, then the card is only good for APEC/crew/diplomat lane access and nothing more.
Understood. That's why I was initially surprised at the discrepancy and also why I'm not taking the first two answers for granted.
Just because the scheme is supposed to work a certain way, doesn't mean that's the way the government of the PRC is going to do it, especially if its in their interest to be different. If I get an official response from Beijing, I'll share that too.