Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

I disagree. It can be a big and expensive deal to get an unnecessary visa for China. The cost is $160 plus miscellaneous costs for passport photos and getting oneself to and from the Chinese consulate. If you cannot go to the consulate in person, you must find and use a visa service agency. Their fees can be easily be a couple hundred dollars, depending on the agency's reputation and the need for quick processing, plus FedEx fees. Most people would prefer to spend that money for a few extra days overseas or generally on something else.