Spokesperson's Remarks｜China welcomes foreign friends to come and visit here in spring

"Spring is a perfect time to visit China as it brings warmth and blossom of flowers. We welcome foreign friends to come and visit China and get a first-hand experience of this beautiful and open country as it is." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday.

Mao made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to a media query about "China Travel". The Report on the Work of the Government noted that China offered unilateral visa waivers to more countries in 2024, thus bringing about a sustained surge in inbound tourism. Foreign Minister Wang Yi also pointed out when he met the press during the two sessions that more countries may join China's visa-free "circle of friends", sustaining the popularity of "China Travel" around the world.

Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson/MFA PRC

Mao noted that so far, China has granted unilateral visa-free entry to 38 countries and extended the transit visa-free period to 240 hours for 54 countries. In 2024, over 20 million foreign travelers entered China visa-free, up by 112 percent year-on-year. Among them, over 3.39 million came to China under the unilateral visa-free policy, up by 1200 percent year-on-year. Having been to China, many foreigners who thought of China as mysterious now find the country fascinating.

"We will take more steps to make it easier to visit China and make foreign visitors feel more at home during their stay here." Mao said. 

Mao added that some policies have been put in place. For example, Chinese embassies and consulates worldwide no longer require online appointment for visa application and now provide walk-in visa application services instead. Many cities are now piloting the policy of "Buy Now, Refund Now" for efficient departure tax refunds and provide easier payment access which allows foreign users to link their international credit cards to Chinese digital payment platforms. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily)