Citizens from 17 European countries can now visit China visa-free as the country expanded its visa-exempt list to include four more nations. Following the removal of visa requirements for Norwegian citizens in early September, China granted visa waivers to citizens of Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia on September 25, 2024.

The year saw China granting visa-free entry status to several European countries and others, including Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. The move comes as a way to boost tourism and business travel to China, promote friendly exchanges between China and other countries, and open up avenues of practical cooperation.

China’s visa-free policy for European nations: Key details 

Χθες 25 Σεπτεμβρίου, ώρα Νέας Υόρκης, ο #ΥΠΕΞ της Κίνας κ. #Wang Yi συναντήθηκε με τον ΥΠΕΞ της Ελλάδας κ. Γιώργο Γεραπετρίτη, στο περιθώριο της Γενικής Συνέλευσης των #ΗΕ. Ο κ. Wang δήλωσε ότι η #Κίνα θα εφαρμόσει πολιτική απαλλαγής από την υποχρέωση έκδοσης θεώρησης (#βίζα) για… pic.twitter.com/UPJaqEBdeY

— Chinese Embassy in Greece (@Chinaemb_Hellas) September 26, 2024

The new European countries added to the list of short visa-free stays of up to 15 days in China include Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia. China’s visa-free policy extends to other European countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. The visa-free scheme will remain in effect until the end of 2025.

Apart from the visa-free scheme, the Chinese government plans to encourage inbound tourism by strategic collaboration with companies to promote its cultural and historical attractions.

China is one of Asia’s most-visited countries, attracting travellers for both tourism and business. As the country continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its efforts to attract international visitors are expected to contribute to a resurgence in tourism and economic growth.

Some of the most popular places to visit in China include The Great Wall of China, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, The Forbidden City and Imperial Palace in Beijing, The Terracotta Army in Xi’an, The West Lake in Hangzhou, The Mausoleum of Light at Shenyang, and the Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan.

(Feature image credit: Johannes Plenio/Pexels)

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Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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