China extends visa exemption to promote international exchanges and support the economic recovery. Starting from 30 November 2024, the changes introduced will allow the citizens of 38 countries, including Italy, to enter China without a visa for stays up to 30 days, bringing new opportunities for both tourist and business trips.
China: changes in visa exemption starting from 30 November 2024
To facilitate tourism and strengthen trade relations, China has announced a significant extension of the visa exemption. The changes will be effective from November 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025, allowing the citizens of 38 countries, including Italy, to enter China without a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days. This extends the previous stay limit of 15 days.
The exemption was initially introduced in December 2023 when China, after three years of border closure due to the pandemic, announced the unilateral exemption for citizens of six countries: Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Since then, the number of countries benefiting from this exemption has expanded, most recently through a pilot initiative, including the following countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan.
This policy aims to promote international tourism, stimulate economic growth, and encourage cultural and professional exchanges.
Benefits for tourism and businesses
The extension of the visa exemption brings advantages for:
- Professionals and companies, who will have greater flexibility to attend conferences, fairs, and business meetings, optimizing business and collaboration opportunities.
- Tourists: China becomes a more accessible destination for travelers, thanks to the simplified entry process and extended stay duration.
Conclusions
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described this initiative as a strategic move aimed at consolidating China’s role as a global hub for trade and tourism. It strengthens bilateral relations with the countries involved and contributes to the growth of the domestic economy. However, it remains unclear whether this policy will be sufficient to reactivate the flow of trade between China and Western countries or additional initiatives will be needed.
