China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that five European countries and Malaysia will be able to enter China for a 15-day period without a visa starting on December 1, 2023, and ending on November 30, 2024.
The new rule, which will be in effect for a year, will allow citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia to enter China for up to fifteen days without a visa.
This will prove to be extremely valuable because applying in person is now required at least the first time in order to be granted a visa to visit China, which makes getting a visa for the country expensive and time-consuming due to the collection of biometric data at the visa center.
China has been taking steps in recent months including restoring international flight routes to revive its tourism sector following three years of strict COVID-19 measures that largely shut its borders to the outside world.
The Government is also looking to re-establish its image around the world after clashing with many Western countries on various issues including COVID, human rights, Taiwan and trade.
