by Xinhua writers Zhang Yunlong, Yue Xitong and Ren Qinqin
BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- China announced on Tuesday a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, aiming to further boost international openness and people-to-people exchanges.
The National Immigration Administration (NIA) said the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers has been extended from the previous 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.
The move, effective immediately, also includes a substantial expansion of designated ports and travel regions, enhancing flexibility for international visitors.
Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Britain, the United States and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region.
These travelers can now enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provincial-level regions -- up from 39 ports in 19 provincial-level regions -- and stay within the designated areas for up to 240 hours.
"Compared with the previous 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit policies, a notable feature of the policy adjustment is the introduction of cross-regional travel, allowing foreign visitors to move freely across the designated areas of 24 specified provincial-level regions," said Liu Jia, deputy director-general of the Department of Foreigner Management under the NIA.
Liu added that the updated policy allows foreign travelers to better plan their itineraries and arrange flexible travel routes, enabling multi-destination tourism and business activities across various regions.
The announcement has already garnered interest from international travelers. At Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in central China's Hubei Province, Luke Paul De Mena, an American tourist, was among the first to inquire about the new 240-hour visa-free procedures.
Planning to explore the cities of Wuhan, Yichang and Xiangyang, De Mena praised the updated rules. "Hubei has a rich cultural heritage and cutting-edge technology. With the new policy, I can travel across the entire province -- this is great!" he said.
The policy has been expanded to include five additional provinces, namely, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan and Guizhou. Officials said these areas offer distinctive attractions, such as Shanxi's ancient architecture, Jiangxi's renowned ceramics, and Guizhou's rich natural heritage.
The newly-covered areas are incorporated alongside major economic zones such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Officials said this adjustment is expected to meet the diverse needs of foreign tourists and business travelers alike.
Complementing other visa initiatives -- such as regional visa exemptions, unilateral visa waivers and mutual visa agreements -- the measures aim to promote inbound tourism, facilitate business exchanges and enhance China's global openness, according to the officials.
The new policy has also been praised by industry experts. "By simplifying entry procedures and encouraging more visitors, it will boost the international appeal of 'China Travel,'" said Yin Jie, a professor at the College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, located in the eastern coastal city of Xiamen.
Yin added that the policy will support not only tourism but also cultural, educational and business exchanges between China and other countries.
The move marks another step forward for the world's second-largest economy in facilitating global personnel mobility and opening wider to the world, attracting more foreigners to visit China.
As of the end of November 2024, China had granted unilateral visa-free entry to travelers from 38 nations, allowing stays of up to 30 days.
It has also made a series of policies facilitating foreigners to visit and live in China, triggering a trendy "China Travel" keyword on major online platforms.
"With visa-free policies, I believe the number of tourists to China will increase," said Yoichiro Nakao, 58, an employee of a Japanese airline, noting that increased personnel exchanges are very beneficial for the economies of both countries.
The positive response to the updated rules is already evident. Chinese online travel agency Ctrip reported a 116 percent surge in searches for domestic destinations on its Asia-Pacific platform within just half an hour of Tuesday's announcement.
"The improvement of China's cross-border policies and infrastructure has become a key driver of inbound tourism," said Qin Jing, vice president of Ctrip.
Official data reflects the momentum. China recorded nearly 29.22 million inbound foreign visits between January and November 2024, up 86.2 percent year on year. Of these, 17.45 million visitors entered the country visa-free, marking a massive 123.3 percent increase from the previous year. Notably, the number of visa-free transit travelers surged by 132.9 percent year on year. ■
