BEIJING – Chinese officials have tightened visa restrictions in anticipation of the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held here.

Already furniture importers have warned that there could be some supply issues because factories in the Beijing area will be shut down for the Olympic Games. One company that owns its own factory said that it was ramping up production now to create enough inventory to last through the shutdown.

Now, the government visa office has declared multiple-entry business visas will not be available from mid-April until mid-October, according to the Associated Press.

In the past, F Visas were easily obtainable, allowing merchandise managers to make frequent visits into the country while searching out source factories.

Richard Vuylsteke, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, told The New York Tiimes, “I can’t begin to explain how serious this is going to be. A barrier like this is going to have a real ripple effect on business.”

For more information, see the Associated Press report here.