Sending your clients to China just got a lot easier.
The government of China on 17DEC announced it is relaxing its visa-free transit policy by extending the allowed stay for eligible foreign travellers to 240 hours, or 10 days, from the previous 72-144 hours.
Published news reports say the move is part of a plan to lure more foreign visitors to China.
The measure, which is effective immediately, was announced by the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on its official Wechat account, Reuters reports.
People from 54 countries including Canada, the United, States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Russia “who transit from China to a third country (region), can enter China without a visa from any of the 60 open ports in 24 provinces and stay in the specified area for no more than 240 hours," the immigration administration said.
“China has made no secret of its desire to increase its share of foreign visitors, and has made several major policy changes since reopening following the Covid-19 pandemic,” CNN reports.
It seems to be working. Immigration officials said the number of foreigners entering mainland China in the third quarter of this year reached a record high since tracking began in 2014.
CNN also said China’s two biggest e-payment apps, WeChat and AliPay, now accept non-Chinese credit cards, have built-in translation software and streamlined identity verification processes. In addition, the Chinese government has mandated that major tourist attractions and three-, four- and five-star hotels all accept international credit cards.
