China has introduced a unilateral visa-free regime

China has introduced a unilateral visa-free regime for citizens of the following countries on a trial basis: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. This is according to a message published on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the WeChat social network. During the briefing, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Mao Ning announced that the holders of general passports of these six countries will be able to stay in China for commercial and tourism activities, visits to relatives and friends, and transit for up to 15 days without a visa in the period from December 1 this year to November 30, 2024. Mao Ning emphasized that China has decided to extend the scope of the unilateral visa regime on a trial basis and introduce visa-free travel for holders of ordinary passports from the above-mentioned countries.

At the same time, it is reported that citizens of these countries whose purpose of visit is not in line with the above-mentioned points must obtain a visa to enter Chinese territory as before. According to the statement, this move is aimed at strengthening international relations, promoting quality development and high-level openness.

It is important to note that due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, China temporarily tightened its entry regulations and only started issuing visas in March this year.