BEIJING - China welcomes clarification from the United States on the unaltered visa policy towards Chinese citizens, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

It was reported Tuesday that the United States was planning to shorten the length of visas issued to some Chinese citizens.

According to media reports, the US State Department on Thursday announced that the US visa policy towards Chinese citizens has not changed. Chinese students who go to study in the United States can still receive visas with a validity of up to five years.

The US State Department stressed that the United States welcomes more and more Chinese citizens to visit the country.

China welcomes the US clarification, said spokesperson Hua Chunying at a routine press briefing.

"Personnel exchanges are the foundation to boost cooperation in all fields between China and the United States. The facilitation of visas between the two countries is reciprocal and serves the common interests of the two peoples," she said.

Both sides should take more positive measures to make the personnel exchanges more convenient, and thus create better conditions for exchanges and cooperation in various fields, Hua said.