A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on November 24 that the country will exempt visas for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia if they come for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends or transiting for less than 15 days.
Passengers queue to check in at Beijing Capital International Airport on December 30, 2022 - Photo: BLOOMBERG
According to Reuters, China has implemented various policies in recent months to revive the tourism industry, which has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has applied many strict measures for 3 years, causing most of the country's borders to be closed to the outside world.
For that reason, the Beijing government is looking to re-establish its image with the world.
In early November 2023, China expanded its transit visa-free policy to 54 countries, including citizens from Norway.
China scrapped COVID-19 testing requirements for inbound travelers in August 2023. It also reinstated a 15-day visa-free entry policy for Singapore and Brunei citizens in July.
