US and China in extended visa deal

The US and China will grant visas valid for up to a decade to visitors between the two countries under a deal announced by US President Barack Obama.

Mr Obama said the move would "benefit everyone," speaking during a high-level summit of Asian business leaders in Beijing, known as Apec.

Visas between the two countries were previously valid for only one year.

China-US relations have been rocky amid increased US presence in the Pacific and concerns over cyber espionage.

But on Monday, Mr Obama told the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) chief executive summit that the US welcomed the rise of a "prosperous, peaceful and stable China".

"We want China to do well," Mr Obama said.

"We compete for business, but we also seek to co-operate on a broad range of shared challenges and shared opportunities."

Under the new visa rules, set to take effect on Wednesday, student visas will be valid for five years, while business and tourist visas will be valid for 10 years.

The deal will not change how long a traveller will be allowed to stay in the US or China, but how long the visas are valid for entry.

The US will also continue to require an in-person interview as part of the application for a visa.