Getting a visa in surrounding countries.

You can try the Chinese embassy in Bangkok. Chiang Mai has a Chinese consulate so better try the embassy. Be sure to apply early morning as the long line of applicants is really frustrating. And bring everyt possible documents they might need.

The Bangkok consulate has a reputation, so in the past, lots of people came to Chiang Mai for a better chance of being granted a visa.

The reputation was mostly founded on their strictness for Tourist Visas, but Bangkok were well known to reject applications on a whim.

Has the situation there changed?

I applied for my visa at the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok (it is not a consulate). Yes, they do reject  tourist visa applications if they sense something is wrong or the applicant has insufficient documents or reasons to travel to China. However, in your case, you do have an invitation letter from a legal entity in China. Your application will be an easy task unless of course you are an undesirable person with red flags in their computer which is linked to almost every immigartion data of countries with diplomatic relations with China.

if you are traveling on a British passport come to HK....I can then help you get a 1 year (90 day Exit)  multi entry M visa...
James...but you will need to spend about 14 days in HK...

i think if u just travel here,L visa is enough.

for uk passport ,no need leave china to apply for china visa.
In china mainland or hk can apply for china visa ,one year with multi entries every 90 days.
We can help .only passport and photo can finished.100% sure that can get it .
if any one interested ,or need visa service help welcome to contact me anytime .thanks

@Catherine - Are you sure I can get a Visa inside China?  I asked this question once on a forum, and the answer was - no.  Is this legal?

Has anyone else got a visa INSIDE China? (in recent times).

@Alven - A 30 day L-Visa is definitely not enough.  Even if I could get 60 or 90 days - that's still not enough.  China is a big country - and I'd love to have a visa long enough to explore it one day.  But if the UK ever gets the same 10 year Visa deal that the Americans have - then I'll be first in line!

I got my Visa from Chiang Mai today.  They knocked me down to just 60 days one entry.  In fact, the girl at the counter told me that's what I'd get before she even looked at my form.

They seem to make it up as they go along - depending on how they feel that day.

I'm frustrated and annoyed about it - having wasted time chatting to them before I put in my application, and ending up with less than they said I should get.

A friend of mine from a EU country recently managed to get a one year business visa, but he is living in China since about 8 years now and still have to leave the country every couple of months in the first half year. And, in the second half year, if he leaves the country, he will need a new visa.
If I'm right he is doing his visa with some agent who probably makes good money with it.