On December 17, 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Immigration announced that it would fully relax its transit visa exemption policy starting from that day. Citizens of 54 countries will now enjoy transit visa-free treatment when passing through China on their way to a third country or region. They can enter China through any of its 60 open ports of entry across 24 provinces, and stay within the “designated area” for up to 240 hours.
These 54 countries include 40 European nations, 6 from the Americas, 6 from Asia, and 2 from Oceania, covering almost all of the world’s most economically developed countries. This list also includes what the Chinese Communist Party viewed as “hostile nations” such as the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Among these 54 countries, citizens of 38 have already enjoyed the unilateral visa exemption treatment by China in the past year, with a current stay limit of 30 days.
In the face of economic decline, China is attempting to attract more foreigners to visit for tourism and business purposes. NTDTV reported that online commentators had remarked “the government is really desperate.”
Source: NTDTV, December 17, 2024
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/12/17/a103938629.html