China's visa-free policy facilitates travels from six countries

BEIJING: Around 214,000 people from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia entered China in December 2023, an increase of 28.5 per cent compared with November, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA), reported Xinhua.

China's unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from these countries took effect on Dec 1, facilitating inbound travels from there.

Of these inbound trips, 118,000 were made by ordinary passport holders without a visa, accounting for 55.1 per cent of all inbound trips from the six countries during this period. Around 91,000 visa-free entries were made for travel and business.

Thanks to the visa-free policy, ports in the southern Chinese city of Nanning welcomed many inbound travellers. Data showed that 121 inbound travel groups of nearly 2,800 people entered China through ports in Nanning in December.

Since the inception of the visa-free policy, ports in Beijing had, by Dec 31, witnessed more than 12,000 visa-free entries from the relevant countries.

The NIA pledged more optimised entry-exit management policies for foreigners to facilitate their business, study, work, and life in China.

-- BERNAMA