China, Russia Extend Visa-Free Travel Cooperation
The announcement was made Wednesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for a two-day official visit.
Over recent years, Moscow and Beijing have expanded collaboration in sectors including trade, finance, energy, manufacturing, technology, and investment. Increased flight connections and simplified travel arrangements have also contributed to stronger tourism and business exchanges, while universities and regional institutions from both countries continue developing joint academic and commercial projects.
“China has decided to extend its visa-free policy for Russian citizens until December 31, 2027, in order to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between the two countries,” Guo told reporters.
He explained that Russian citizens holding ordinary passports can continue entering China without visas for tourism, business, family visits, and exchange programs for stays lasting up to 30 days. Beijing initially introduced the relaxed travel policy last September on a trial basis.
Later the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia would also maintain visa-free travel arrangements for Chinese citizens through 2027 in response to Beijing’s move.
Peskov said the policy had proven “highly effective.”
Russia previously introduced visa-free entry for Chinese travelers in December, allowing visits of up to 30 days.
According to official data released earlier this year, Russian citizens made approximately 2.5 million trips to China during 2025, representing an increase of more than 30% compared to the previous year and approaching pre-pandemic travel levels recorded in 2019.
Chinese visitors also made up more than half of the 1.64 million foreign tourists who traveled to Russia in 2025, according to border control statistics. Reports added that Chinese tourism to Russia rose sharply during the final quarter of the year following the introduction of the visa-free system.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
