China has also extended visa-free entry to four European countries.
advertisementChina introduced visa-free entry for citizens of seven European countries and Malaysia in December and January.
Now, four more European countries have been added to the list in an attempt to encourage more people to visit the country for business and tourism.
Citizens of France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, as well as Austria, Belgium, Hungary and Luxembourg, will be allowed to enter China without a visa.
At a briefing on the initial announcement in November, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the aim was to “promote the high-quality development of people-to-people exchanges and high-level opening to the outside world”.
The trial program allows visa-free entry for up to 15 days and is valid for one year.
Overseas travel to China has not yet recovered
China is tough Pandemic countermeasuresIt included a required quarantine for all arrivals, which deterred many people from visiting for nearly three years. Restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has yet to recover. pre-pandemic level.
China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter the country without visas, but stopped doing so after the war. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) outbreak. Visa-free entry to Brunei and Singapore resumed in July, but entry to Japan has not yet resumed.
In 2023, China According to immigration statistics, the number of foreigners entering and leaving the country was 35.5 million. By comparison, last year before the pandemic, he had 97.7 million for all of 2019.
The government is seeking foreign investment to shore up the struggling economy, and some business leaders, including Tesla's Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook, have come to trade shows and meetings. Compared to pre-pandemic times, foreign tourists remain rare.
How else is China simplifying travel for Europeans?
Over the past year, interest in China as a tourist destination has increased among Europeans.
Data from online travel agency According to Trip.com, overall bookings from Europe to China increased by 663% compared to 2022 and almost 29% compared to 2019.
with the UK Germany According to the data, these are among the top 10 visitors to China in the world.
Due to its attractive blend of modernity and tradition, Shanghai remains the most popular destination among Europeans, followed by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Sanya, a seaside city on the southern tip of China's Hainan Island, and Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, are emerging as new destinations.
It's even newer No visa Under this scheme, the country is further encouraging inbound tourism by partnering with Trip.com to promote cultural and historical attractions. China is also strengthening its tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, travel guides and electronic payment systems.
