In a press conference on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry expressed its welcome for measures facilitating people-to-people exchanges between China and other nations. China stands prepared to collaborate with these countries to establish favorable conditions, ensuring smooth movement and providing greater convenience for individuals, as highlighted by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.
The announcement follows the broadened scope of mutual visa exemptions between China and various countries. Notably, China and Singapore unveiled a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement during the visit of Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong to China. Similarly, Indonesia declared a visa-free policy for tourists from 20 countries and regions, including China, as part of an initiative to attract more foreign visitors.
Previous instances of such policies include Malaysia implementing a 30-day visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, and Thailand adopting a phased visa-free policy for Chinese tourists. China’s overseas embassies and consulates are set to reduce visa fees by 25 percent from December 11, 2023, to December 31, 2024, aiming to promote cross-border personnel exchanges, according to the WeChat account of China Consular Affairs.
Wang Peng, an associate researcher from the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized that the visa-free policy not only facilitates people-to-people exchanges but also stimulates tourism, catering, and other consumption sectors for both China and the partner countries. He noted that the measure would offer favorable conditions for enhancing trade and economic ties, reflecting the confidence in China’s spending power and economic development prospects.
Nia Niscaya, an expert from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, highlighted the positive impact of such initiatives. Indonesia, regarding China as a strategic partner, has seen a surge in Chinese tourists, nearly tripling the target, with 570,000 trips from China recorded from January to September. Niscaya emphasized that China, being a significant source of investment and the largest contributor to Indonesia’s tourist market, is now an opportune time to renew cooperation, having overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.