Six Countries Enjoy Visa-Free Travel To China: New Policy Starts December 1

China announced on Friday its decision to grant visa-free entry to citizens from five European countries and Malaysia, aiming to encourage greater business and tourism visits to the country.

Under this trial program lasting one year, citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia will be permitted to enter China for up to 15 days without requiring a visa.

Mao Ning, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated during a daily briefing that the initiative is geared towards "facilitating high-quality development in Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges, promoting high-level openness to the outside world."

For nearly three years, strict pandemic measures deterred travel to China, including mandatory quarantines for all arrivals. Although these restrictions were lifted earlier this year, international travel has not yet rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

Previously, Japan, Singapore, and Brunei had visa-free entry privileges to China, which were suspended after the COVID-19 outbreak. While visa-free access resumed for Brunei and Singapore in July, it has not been reinstated for Japan.

In the first half of the year, immigration statistics showed China recorded 8.4 million entries and exits by foreigners, a significant contrast to 977 million in all of 2019, the year preceding the pandemic.

The move received positive responses from various quarters. France, represented by Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna during talks in Beijing, reciprocated by allowing Chinese students earning master's degrees in France to extend their stay by five years, facilitating exchanges.

The EU Chamber of Commerce in China expressed optimism for more European nations to gain visa-free access soon, deeming the move a "tangible and practical improvement" likely to bolster business confidence.

Seeking foreign investment to revitalize a sluggish economy, the Chinese government has attracted business figures like Tesla's Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook for trade engagements. However, foreign tourist arrivals are still notably lower than pre-pandemic levels.