China has announced the expansion of its visa-free policy to nine additional countries, including eight in Europe, allowing their citizens to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa starting November 30, 2024. The move is set to strengthen business, tourism, and cultural exchanges between China and these nations.
The new policy includes Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, and Latvia, adding to the list of countries already benefiting from China’s open-door approach. Officials and tourism professionals from these countries have welcomed the decision as a positive step toward stronger ties with China.
Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg hailed the policy as “another milestone in the long-standing relations between the two countries.” Borg, who also serves as Malta’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, said in a press release, “This visa-free agreement reflects the strong mutual trust and commitment to fostering closer ties in tourism, business, and cultural exchange. It simplifies travel for our citizens but also paves the way for deeper cooperation and new international trade opportunities.”
Croatian tour guide Branka Peric expressed optimism about the policy, stating it is “certainly good news” for tourism and those working in the sector. Peric, who is establishing her own travel agency, believes that China’s opening up will lead to more friendly ties between China and Croatia. “China and Croatia have a long history of good relations, and this has been confirmed in many cases. China has shown that it can successfully cooperate with much smaller countries like Croatia to the benefit of both sides,” she noted.
Xie Dong, a Chinese inbound tour guide for Latvia and Estonia, agreed that the new visa-free policy would boost tourism between the two Baltic countries and China. He also called for direct flights between China and the Baltic countries to further facilitate travel.
Nina Merlusca, the destination manager of Romanian tourism city Piatra-Neamt, said the policy for Romanian ordinary passport holders will “increase cooperation between the two countries.” Based on her personal experiences traveling in China, she remarked that China is a very friendly country to tourists.
Starting from November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders from a total of 38 countries within China’s visa-free arrangement will be able to enter China without applying for a visa for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit, with stays of up to 30 days. The expansion of the visa-free policy reflects China’s ongoing efforts to enhance international cooperation and promote cultural and economic exchanges.
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European countries welcome China's expanded visa-free policy
cgtn.com
