China's new visa-free policy draws positive reaction from Japan

In order to further facilitate personnel exchanges with other countries, China has decided to expand its visa-free arrangement to include more countries.

From November 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025, visa exemption will be applied to ordinary passport holders from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia and Japan on a trial basis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday. 

In addition, Lin said China has decided to further optimize its visa-free policy, including exchange and visit purposes in the visa-free entry scope, and extend the period of visa-free stays allowed from the current 15 days to 30 days.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba welcomed the Chinese move. "For Japan-China relations, it is most important for the people of the two countries to interact," he told reporters. 

"It is our hope that these measures will further enhance exchanges between our two nations," Ishiba said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi echoed this sentiment at a press conference, expressing his hope that these measures will further deepen exchanges between Japan and China.

Following the normalization of economic activities after the pandemic, the number of business trips from Japan to China has increased. Both the Japanese government and the business community have expressed their hope for China to reinstate its visa-free policy.

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China welcomed the restart of the visa exemption, saying in a statement it "strongly expects this decision will activate personnel exchanges that are essential" for strengthening economic ties, according to Kyodo News.

Policy enhances tourism services

Half an hour after China's new visa-free policy announcement, searches for destinations in China on online travel agency Ctrip.com's overseas platforms surged, with a 112-percent increase on the Japanese site, according to media reports.

There was a sharp rise in interest in direct flights from various Japanese cities to Chinese destinations, the report added.

Xiaopeng, a researcher at Qunar Big Data Research Institute, commented that the policy simplifies travel for foreign tourists visiting China for business, leisure, or family purposes, boosting domestic tourism consumption and driving urban economic growth. The increased flow of travelers also supports the recovery of the civil aviation sector, encouraging airlines to expand or intensify their routes.

Additionally, the expanded visa-free list promotes service improvements in China's tourism industry, including lodging, ticketing and payment services for foreign travelers.

Ctrip noted that the unilateral visa-free policy facilitates travel for overseas Chinese in Japan to visit family and travel, further strengthening tourism exchanges between the two countries. It also fosters the development of travel products targeting Japanese tourists.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, noted inbound tourism can improve China's national image and generate direct tourism revenue. More importantly, as foreign visitors experience our tourism market, their perspectives shaped by different cultural backgrounds can help us address shortcomings in our tourism economic development and enhance the quality of our services.

Tong Xuejun, an official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized on Friday that China will continue to introduce measures to facilitate visa applications, creating more convenience for international business travelers.

"The Ministry will provide greater ease for international exchanges, especially for business personnel, to support high-quality development and high-level opening up," Tong stated in a press conference.