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China’s Beijing Capital International Airport is one of two international airports serving the city.
CNN —
Visiting China is becoming easier for some foreign travelers as the government announces plans to extend its visa-free policy to six European countries.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced Thursday at a press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress in Beijing that the exemption will come into effect on March 14.
“I would like to share with everyone that starting from March 14, China will further extend visa exemptions to six countries, including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg, on a trial basis,” Wang said.
Chinese state media reported that the visa exemptions for Swiss and Irish passport holders were both announced during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to the two countries in January, and added to the will be added this time.
“More countries will cooperate with us to provide visa-free visa facilitation to Chinese nationals, build a fast-track network for cross-border travel, and facilitate the rapid resumption of international passenger flights. We hope that,” Wang said, adding that this “will be more convenient for the Chinese people.” I want to travel abroad and make my foreign friends feel at home in China. ”
China’s recent moves to make it easier for tourists from certain countries to visit are part of efforts to boost foreign tourism as the economy struggles to recover.
In January, China signed reciprocal agreements with Thailand and Singapore, permanently waiving tourist visa requirements for each other’s nationals starting in March. Last November, China announced a pilot program allowing visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia to enter the country visa-free for 15 days.
U.S. travelers will still need a tourist visa to enter China, but restrictions will be eased starting January 1, 2024, with round-trip flight reservations, hotel reservations, an organized itinerary, or proof of invitation. It is no longer necessary to submit. .
The Chinese Embassy in Washington announced newly relaxed guidelines on December 29, 2023, saying it wanted to “further promote people-to-people exchanges.”
The return of foreign tourists has been delayed, with arrivals in 2023 down more than 60% from pre-pandemic levels.
According to the National Immigration Administration, Chinese border authorities recorded 35.5 million cases of foreigners entering and exiting the country last year. This is nearly seven times the number in 2022, when the country was under a three-year coronavirus quarantine.
The 2023 figures represent just 36% of the 97.7 million foreign arrivals and departures recorded in 2019, suggesting a long road to full recovery, although momentum picked up towards the end of the year. .
