How do Americans apply for visas to visit relatives in China?

You can apply for a tourist visa (L visa). American citizens can apply for tourist visas once, twice, multiple times in half a year and multiple times a year as needed. Chinese Americans born in China (including Taiwan Province, Hongkong and Macau) can apply for a two-year multiple-entry visa. American spouses and children of China citizens can apply for two-year multiple-entry visas.