China plans to expand visa-free entry to people from nine more countries from the end of this month, according to a report by Associated Press, which said the moves is part of efforts to invigorate its sluggish tourism and business sectors.
The new countries are Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan. And visitors from these states will be able to stay for up to 30 days without a visa. That means some 38 countries will soon have ‘visa-free’ access, which is a big dup from just three before the country was hit by the Covid pandemic.
Meanwhile, people participating in exchanges will also qualify for visa-free entry – a move that seeks to enhance relations through increased cultural and academic exchanges.
In recent months, a significant number of foreign entries into China were recorded, with a notable portion being visa-free, the report said.