Opinion | China’s expansion of visa-free access to 5 Latin American countries creates new cooperation opportunities

At the beginning of June, China began implementing a trial policy that unilaterally grants visa-free entry to citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. This is the first time China has offered such access to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The policy will remain in effect until May 31, 2026 and allows holders of ordinary passports from these five countries to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes including business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit. 

Following this expansion, China now offers unilateral visa-free entry to 43 countries. This is part of China's broader efforts to expand visa-free access, in line with its commitment  to high-level opening-up. In an interview with China Youth Daily, Cai Tongjuan, Director of the Macro Research Department and Research Fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), said that this move will create new opportunities for cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, promoting mutual economic and cultural benefits.

Cai explained that the visa-free policy would encourage travel between the two regions, thereby increasing exchanges and cooperation. Talent exchanges in areas such as business, culture, and education will become more convenient, encouraging interaction between the two regions in areas such as economics, trade, scientific and technological innovation, and the arts.

She added that the visa-free policy will also boost the confidence of Chinese companies in the Latin American and Caribbean market, encouraging investment and trade. It will enable entrepreneurs and businesspeople from these countries to conduct business activities with China more conveniently, thereby strengthening economic cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean and China, particularly with regard to infrastructure construction and energy development.

Furthermore, Cai stated that the visa-free policy could stimulate growth in the tourism and cultural industries by attracting more tourists from Latin America and the Caribbean to China. As personnel and cultural exchanges between China and these regions deepen, the two sides will develop a better understanding of each other's needs and advantages in terms of cooperation, further strengthening their strategic partnership. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily)