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E-mail China.org.cn, September 11, 2024
Red Star News:
We have noticed that since last year China has trialed unilateral visa-free policies for several countries and has implemented mutual visa-free policies with other countries. In particular, our immigration authority has extended the coverage of the 144-hour visa-free stopover policy and has adjusted as well as eased port visa application requirements, among other policies and measures, with the aim to facilitate foreigners travelling to China. What results have these measures achieved? Do you plan to roll out more facilitative measures? Thank you.
Liu Haitao:
Thank you for the questions. I will address them. I just mentioned that the hashtag "China Travel" has recently gone viral on social media platforms worldwide. Thanks to this, our policies and measures that provide convenience to foreign visitors, including the 144-hour visa-free stopover, have become well-known. Over the years, the NIA has worked with relevant departments to expand the scope of the visa-free policy to include more countries, and has carried out a series of policies and measures to facilitate foreigners coming to China. These policies can be summarized in three aspects, as I will explain.
First, the 144-hour visa-free stopover policy offers convenience to foreigners. The visa-free transit policy has been implemented since January 2013, with eligible countries and ports, length of stay, and areas for stay continuously being optimized. Since the beginning of this year, this policy has further released dividends, attracting foreign tourists and making the increasing openness of China more well-known.
Second, differentiated visa-free transit policies attract foreign visitors from diverse regions. These policies include: 144-hour visa-free entry for foreign tour groups to Guangdong via Hong Kong and Macao; 144-hour visa-free entry for tour groups from ASEAN countries to Guilin, Guangxi; 30-day visa-free stay for visitors from 59 countries entering Hainan; and 15-day visa-free stay for foreign tour groups on cruises across China's coastal provinces. Recently, we launched a 144-hour visa-free transit for foreign tour groups entering Hainan via Hong Kong and Macao. More than 5.9 million foreign tourists have benefited.
Third, we have innovated port visa policies to attract foreign businesses by further easing the requirements for port visa applications. Foreigners who urgently need to come to China to engage in business, trade, visits and other activities can apply for port visas with 100 relevant authorities in 73 cities. We provide many convenient services for foreign business personnel and investors, including re-entry visas, to ensure their easy entry and easy stay.
These policies are complementary and synergistic, and the benefits are multifaceted. The most direct change they bring is the rapid increase of foreign visitors to China. According to NIA statistics, from January to July of this year, a total of 17.25 million foreigners have entered China via different ports, an increase of 129.9% year on year. The number of port visas issued was 846,000, an increase of 182.9% year on year.
The most significant impact has been the direct boost to China's inbound tourism market. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2023, foreign tourists visiting China spend an average of 3,459 yuan daily, which is expected to directly boost consumption by over 100 billion yuan.
Moving forward, we will continue to optimize and improve policies and measures such as visa-free transit. We plan to expand the scope of activities, increase interconnected regions, and enhance our openness strategy. These efforts will further increase the value and appeal of our policies. Additionally, we will actively coordinate with relevant departments to improve convenience for foreigners visiting and staying in China.
I would also like to extend an invitation to our friends from around the world. We welcome you to visit China at your convenience and experience firsthand the beauty of China in the new era. China's doors are always wide open to you. We welcome your visit. Thank you.
