China to allow visa-free entry for six countries

Beijing: China announced on Friday that it will allow visa-free entry for citizens of five European countries and Malaysia as it tries to encourage more people to visit for business and tourism.

Starting December 1, citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia will be allowed to enter China for up to 15 days without a visa. The trial program will be in effect for one year. The aim is “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world”, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing.

China’s strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many people from visiting for nearly three years. The restrictions were lifted early this year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.

China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without a visa.