Good news for UK F visa applicants?

Richard Brubaker of All Roads Leads to China has some good visa news (if true), but only for UK citizens. An update he quoted from the British Chamber of Commerce:

Visa Situation Update
The British Embassy lobbied the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing and have now secured confirmation from them that 12 month multiple-entry business visas will continue to be available to all qualifying UK applicants.

Chinese Embassy websites now makes clear that the following documents should be supplied:

i) invitation letter issued by the relevant department of Chinese government (e.g. MOFCOM, local Chamber of Commerce) - an invitation from a Chinese company will no longer suffice;
ii) a copy of a Chinese hotel reservation;
iii) a copy of outward and return flight ticket booking (one way ticket will not be sufficient).

If anyone has any inside information on the above, please drop us a note as it does strike us as strange that the Chinese immigration authorities would operate double standards by granting 12 month multiple-entry business visas only to UK citizens and not to applicants of any other nationality.