/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/6BAAAON5J5KXBLQDT7H66WOMII.jpg)
Citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia will be temporarily exempt from needing visas to visit China as of December 1. The exemption will last until November 30 next year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Friday.
China aims to revive its tourism sector by allowing citizens of the aforementioned countries to enter China for business, tourism, visiting relatives, or transiting for up to 15 days without requiring a visa. This decision comes as the Chinese government seeks to restore its international image and attract travelers post-pandemic.
Germany’s ambassador to China, Patricia Flor, expressed hope for the Chinese government to extend these measures to all EU member states. “This decision will facilitate travel to China for many German citizens to an unprecedented extent,” she wrote on the social media platform X.
This decision has received positive responses from other European nations. Catherine Colonna, French Foreign Minister, praised the announcement during her visit to Beijing, while the European Chamber of Commerce in China has noted that the move will boost overall business confidence.
China’s recent efforts to expand its visa-free transit policy and scrap COVID test requirements for inbound travelers are part of a larger strategy to breathe new life into its tourism industry. International flights in and out of the country, albeit recovering more slowly than domestic services, are also on the rise.
As a positive sign of recovery, China’s aviation authority has projected a significant increase in weekly flights from November through March, with passenger flights expected to reach 71% of the total four years ago. This, in turn, is expected to facilitate economic exchange and maintain robust business relations between China and European nations.
