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International individuals have spoken positively of China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of its visa-free transit policy

International individuals offer positive feedback on China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of its transit visa exemption policy— “Another significant measure in steadily expanding institutional opening-up” Recently, China's National Immigration Administration announced that it will extend the stay time for foreign nationals with transit visa exemptions from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). Simultaneously, 21 additional ports have been added as entry and exit ports for transit visa exemption personnel, and the areas for permitted activities have been further expanded. International individuals interviewed by this reporter stated that the continuous optimization of transit visa exemption and port visa policies has allowed them to fully feel China's sincerity in expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world. Antonio Miguel Carmona, president of the Spain-China Friendship Association, stated that the continuous optimization of visa policies is one of the hallmarks of China's proactive expansion of opening-up to the outside world, showcasing China's confident, open, and inclusive national image. “This is another important measure in China's steady expansion of institutional opening-up.” Tang Zhimin, director of the China-ASEAN Research Center at the Charoen Pokphand Management Institute in Thailand, said that after this relaxation and optimization, China's transit visa exemption policy will effectively coordinate and complement regional visa exemptions, unilateral visa exemptions, and mutual visa exemptions, better serving China's high-level opening-up and high-quality development. Springer Nature Group, an internationally renowned academic publishing institution, has maintained close cooperation with China's academic and publishing circles for many years. This year, many of the group's employees visited China for the first time to discuss with Chinese partners the application of artificial intelligence in publishing processes and to participate in sales meetings held in China. “The continuously optimized visa policy has had a positive impact. Now, without prior preparation, we can leave whenever our work requires it,” said Thomas Rauner, Global President of Books at Springer Nature. “China is welcoming everyone with a wider range and broader scope of opening-up.” Christopher Stackberg, chairman of the Geneva Dream Come True Foundation, frequently visits China. He said, “I recently met some Swiss tourists on a flight from Geneva to Beijing who expressed their deep appreciation and gratitude for China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of the transit visa exemption policy.” The number of ports applicable to the transit visa exemption policy has increased from 39 to 60, a 54% increase; the number of applicable provinces has expanded from 19 to 24, with 9 provinces newly added or having the policy expanded. After the relaxation and optimization, the applicable areas include not only national key development regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta region, the Pearl River Delta region, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region, but also areas with rich tourism resources, profound cultural heritage, and unique ethnic customs. At the China Cultural Center in Paris, France, the exhibition “Why is the Yangtze River So Charming—Gao Xiang & Luc Richard Paintings and Diaries Exhibition” is underway. From the summer of 2005 to the spring of 2006, Chinese painter Gao Xiang and French writer Luc Richard jointly traveled upstream along the Yangtze River, recording the natural scenery and humanistic features along the way. At the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Jean Peguret, president of the Zafiro Eurasian Cooperation Promotion Association in France, stated that China's newly optimized transit visa exemption policy provides French tourists with more opportunities to explore China's rich natural and cultural resources. He suggested that the audience present travel to China to experience a panoramic journey from bustling cities to beautiful countryside along the Yangtze River, personally experience the profound cultural heritage of China, and stated that “this is an experience not to be missed.” He said that in recent years, China has made tremendous achievements in infrastructure construction, and the development of high-speed rail and air networks, as well as the improvement of tourism facilities, have made travel more efficient and convenient. The German Idass Architecture Forum has been paying close attention to China's architectural practices and cultural development trends for many years. Christine Fehres, the founder of the forum, and Hans-Jürgen Komoriel, the forum director, have visited China many times for inspections. Komoriel said: “China's relaxation and optimization of the transit visa exemption policy is conducive to enhancing people-to-people exchanges and dialogue. In these turbulent times, these dialogues will further deepen mutual trust between the German and Chinese people, promote mutual understanding, and create favorable conditions for closer cooperation in the future.” (This report was filed from Beijing, Madrid, Bangkok, Berlin, and Paris on December 27. Reporters: Yu Yichun, Yan Huan, Zhang Jinruo, Xu Xin, Shang Kaiyuan) People’s Daily (December 28, 2024, Page 03)

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01-09

International individuals have spoken positively of China's comprehensive relaxation and optimization of its visa-free transit policy

240-hour stay, +21 ports, China's transit visa exemption policy is fully relaxed and optimized starting today

The National Immigration Administration announced today (December 17) that, starting December 17, the transit visa exemption policy will be comprehensively relaxed and optimized. The stay time for foreign nationals with transit visa exemptions will be extended from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). Simultaneously, 21 new ports will be added as entry and exit ports for transit visa exemption personnel, and the areas for permitted activities will be further expanded. Citizens of 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, who are transiting through China to a third country (region) can enter China visa-free from any of the 60 open ports in 24 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and stay within the designated areas for no more than 240 hours. The 21 newly added ports for this relaxed and optimized transit visa exemption policy include: 1. Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, Shanxi Province 2. Suzhou Sunan Shuofang International Airport, Jiangsu Province 3. Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport, Jiangsu Province 4. Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, Zhejiang Province 5. Jinhua Yiwu International Airport, Zhejiang Province 6. Hefei Xinqiao International Airport, Anhui Province 7. Huangshan Tunxi International Airport, Anhui Province 8. Fuzhou Changle International Airport, Fujian Province 9. Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, Fujian Province 10. Nanping Wuyi Mountain International Airport, Fujian Province 11. Nanchang Changbei International Airport, Jiangxi Province 12. Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport, Shandong Province 13. Yantai Penglai International Airport, Shandong Province 14. Weihai Dashuibo International Airport, Shandong Province 15. Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, Hunan Province 16. Nanning Wuxu International Airport, Guangxi Province 17. Beihai Fucheng International Airport, Guangxi Province 18. Haikou Meilan International Airport, Hainan Province 19. Sanya Phoenix International Airport, Hainan Province 20. Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, Sichuan Province 21. Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, Guizhou Province This increases the number of applicable open ports from the original 39 to 60. The comprehensively relaxed and optimized 240-hour transit visa exemption policy further expands the areas for permitted activities. The applicable provinces have increased from the original 19 (Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi) to include Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou, totaling 24 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities). Of the five newly added provinces: • The permitted activity areas in Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou provinces are the entire province. • In Shanxi Province, the permitted activity area is Taiyuan and Datong cities. • In Jiangxi Province, the permitted activity area is Nanchang and Jingdezhen cities. Additionally: • The permitted activity areas in Fujian, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces have been expanded to the entire province. • The permitted activity area in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been expanded to include the administrative areas of 12 cities: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin. Foreign nationals entering China through the transit visa exemption policy can travel across provincial boundaries within the permitted activity areas of the above 24 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities). Conditions for Foreign Nationals Applying for the 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption Policy 1. Must be a citizen of one of the 54 countries eligible for the transit visa exemption policy: • European countries (40): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway; • American countries (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile; • Oceanian countries (2): Australia, New Zealand; • Asian countries (6): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar. 2. Must hold a valid international travel document with a validity period of no less than 3 months and meet the entry requirements for the third country (region). 3. Must hold a confirmed connecting ticket or relevant proof of travel to a third country (region) within 240 hours, fill out a temporary entry card for foreign nationals, and accept inspection and questioning by the border control authorities. Foreign nationals meeting the above conditions can apply to the border control authorities at 60 ports in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. The border control authorities will handle their temporary entry procedures, and the visa-free stay will be calculated from 00:00 on the day after entry. Those who meet the requirements of visa exemption agreements signed with China or China's unilateral visa exemption policies will follow those regulations. Applicable ports and permitted activity areas for the 240-hour transit visa exemption policy.

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12-24

240-hour stay, +21 ports, China's transit visa exemption policy is fully relaxed and optimized starting today

The number of ports of entry applicable to the Shandong transit visa exemption policy has increased to five.

China News Service, Jinan, December 18 (Reporter Sun Tingting) Li Zhuqun, Deputy Director-General and First-Class Inspector of the Shandong Provincial Public Security Department, said at a press conference held by the Shandong Provincial People's Government on December 18 that Shandong has added three new international airports: Jinan, Yantai, and Weihai. This brings the total number of ports in Shandong that implement the transit visa-free policy to five. The visa-free stay time for foreigners has been extended from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 10 days (240 hours). Li Zhuqun stated that since the beginning of this year, a total of 1.486 million foreigners have entered and exited Shandong ports, a year-on-year increase of 61.1%. Among them, the number of foreigners entering through convenient policies such as transit visa exemption and port visas increased by 92.3% year-on-year, significantly boosting the number of foreigners coming to Shandong. "Foreigners with transit visa exemptions can stay within the entire administrative region of Shandong Province and can also stay and travel in designated areas of 23 other provinces that apply the policy," Li Zhuqun explained. Currently, Shandong has built an international transportation hub that "covers Shandong, radiates to the Yellow River, and reaches Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe." In addition, high-speed rail and expressways in Shandong Province operate in a ring, achieving 1-hour accessibility within the three major economic zones of the provincial capital, Jiaodong, and Runan, 2-hour accessibility within the province, and 3-hour accessibility to major cities nationwide, providing foreigners with quick and efficient transportation support for inter-provincial and inter-city activities. A press conference was held by the Shandong Provincial People's Government on December 18 to introduce Shandong's optimized implementation of the transit visa-free policy to promote high-level opening up. Photo by Sun Tingting Wang Decun, Deputy Director-General of the Shandong Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection Station, introduced that five ports—Qingdao Jiaodong, Jinan Yaoqiang, Yantai Penglai, Weihai Dashuipo international airports, and Qingdao seaport passenger terminal—have established special areas for handling temporary entry permits, achieving "point-to-point" precise guidance and "face-to-face" processing for visa-free transit personnel. In addition, Shandong has also launched a new version of the border inspection signs at ports to facilitate foreign travelers in quickly identifying and accurately obtaining relevant information at ports, improving customs clearance efficiency, and enhancing the customs clearance experience. "We have upgraded and optimized the 'self-service terminal for foreigners to fill out entry cards,' allowing foreign travelers to use smartphones to self-fill in personal information in advance, achieving 'immediate inspection,'" Wang Decun said. Border inspection agencies have set up 'passenger service stations' at entry ports to provide one-stop services such as scenic spot reservations, mobile phone card processing, and mobile payment, improving the convenience of foreign travelers in China and helping to create a market-oriented, rule-of-law, and internationalized first-class business environment. The inbound tourism market was among the first to feel the "spring breeze" brought by the visa-free policy. Recently, the topic "Korean people love to come to China after work on Friday" has been trending. Qingdao, Yantai, Zhangjiajie, and Kunming have become popular tourist destinations for Korean tourists. Sun Lei, Deputy Director-General of the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, said that Shandong will develop new types of products and characteristic single products such as skiing, mountaineering, cultural relics, and golf, and tap into consumption hotspots and creative scenarios with "human touch" such as food, wine, intangible cultural heritage, calligraphy, and festivals, launching more high-quality routes to meet and stimulate tourism demand with new supply. "We are studying and formulating the 'Shandong Province's Incentive Measures for Attracting Tourists to Shandong,' providing subsidies for receiving inbound tourists, inviting overseas inspections, and domestic and international publicity and marketing, giving full play to the guiding role of policies and funds, and cultivating excellent inbound tourism market entities in our province," Sun Lei said. Shandong will also conduct research on countries and regions with visa-free transit and tourist demand surveys, and implement precise measures and marketing promotion based on the interests, consumption habits, and information acquisition channels of different customer groups. It is understood that in 2024, Shandong held more than 30 cultural and tourism promotion and exchange activities in 19 countries and regions, organized nearly 500 overseas travel agents to conduct inspections and site visits, and focused on promoting inbound tourism products with the characteristics of four seasons, performing arts, and cultural relic studies, accumulating strength for cultivating the inbound tourism market. In addition, to seize the new opportunities brought by the optimized visa-free policy, Wang Hong, Deputy Director-General of the Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce, said that Shandong will establish a Shandong foreign trade high-quality product database around advantageous industries such as engineering machinery, agricultural machinery, tire auto parts, and green chemicals, accurately reaching out to procurement agents in the "visa-free circle." The province will invite global procurement agents to Shandong for direct sourcing, reducing the cost of market development for enterprises and improving the efficiency of order acceptance. "Before the Spring Festival, we will intensively organize 12 international precise procurement docking activities to release the policy dividends of expanding and optimizing visa-free policies for Shandong's foreign trade enterprises to develop the international market." (End)

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12-18

The number of ports of entry applicable to the Shandong transit visa exemption policy has increased to five.

China has achieved comprehensive visa exemption with 22 countries, significantly improving the convenience of outbound travel.

Singapore, recently officially announced, is expected to become a popular choice for citizens' outbound travel during the Spring Festival. According to Xinhua News Agency, the "Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Singapore on Mutual Visa Exemption for Holders of Ordinary Passports" was officially signed on January 25, 2024. The agreement will officially take effect on February 9, 2024 (Lunar New Year's Eve). At that time, ordinary passport holders from both sides can enter the other country without a visa for private affairs such as tourism, visiting relatives, and business, for a stay not exceeding 30 days. China has achieved comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 22 countries. As of now, China has concluded mutual visa exemption agreements with 157 countries covering different types of passports, and reached agreements or arrangements to simplify visa procedures with 44 countries. Comprehensive mutual visa exemption has been achieved with 22 countries, including Singapore, Maldives, and Kazakhstan. In addition, more than 60 countries and regions provide visa-free or visa-on-arrival convenience for Chinese citizens. The convenience for Chinese citizens to travel abroad has significantly increased, and the "gold content" of the Chinese passport will become higher and higher.

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07-14

China has achieved comprehensive visa exemption with 22 countries, significantly improving the convenience of outbound travel.

In the first half of the year, the number of inbound and outbound travelers at Shandong ports increased by 137.6%.

Reporters learned from the Shandong Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection General Station on July 6 that in the first half of this year, border inspection agencies across the province inspected a total of more than 26,300 inbound and outbound transport vehicles, an increase of 25.7% year-on-year; and 976,700 inbound and outbound personnel, an increase of 137.6% year-on-year. At present, a total of 21 passenger routes have been opened at airports across the province. Among them, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport has the most routes, with a total of 14 international and regional passenger routes, including Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Osaka, London, Bangkok, Dubai, Moscow, and Singapore. After the implementation of "Class B and Class B management" for novel coronavirus infection, border inspection agencies across the province focused on the actual increase in passenger traffic, timely released China's immigration management and entry-exit policies, guided inbound and outbound personnel to plan reasonable itineraries and avoid risks, scientifically set up special channels for Chinese citizens, and made full use of express channels. Since May 15, express channels at four airport passenger ports (Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, and Weihai) have been fully restored.

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07-10

In the first half of the year, the number of inbound and outbound travelers at Shandong ports increased by 137.6%.
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