China is expanding visa-free entry to more countries

BEIJING: China announced Friday that it would expand visa-free entry to citizens of nine more countries as it seeks to boost tourism and business travel to help revive a sluggish economy.

Starting Nov 30, travellers from Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan will be able to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

That will bring to 38 the number of countries that have been granted visa-free access since last year. Only three countries had visa-free access previously, and theirs had been eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The permitted length of stay for visa-free entry is being increased from the previous 15 days, Lin said, and people participating in exchanges will be eligible for the first time. China has been pushing people-to-people exchange between students, academics and others to try to improve its sometimes strained relations with other countries.

China strictly restricted entry during the pandemic and ended its restrictions much later than most other countries.

In July 2023, China restored visa-free access for Brunei and Singapore citizens, later expanding it to France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia in December. Other countries, including Thailand, also granted visa-free entry to Chinese citizens.

From July to September 2023, China recorded 8.2 million foreign entries, with 4.9 million being visa-free, according to Xinhua.