China will for sometime exempt citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia from requiring visas when visiting the world’s second-hugest economy, in a fresh move to spur post-pandemic tourism. From Dec 1, 2023, to Nov 30, 2024, citizens from those countries entering China for business, tourism or sightseeing, or visiting relatives and friends, or who are transiting for no more than 15 days, will not require a visa, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson revealed on Nov 24.
China has been proceeding forward in past months to revive its tourism sector, which includes the restoration of international flight routes, following three years of strict Covid-19 measures that mostly shut its borders to the outside world. Beijing is also looking to re-establish its global image after not doing well with so many Western countries on problems which includes Covid-19, human rights, Taiwan and trade. A past Pew Research Centre survey in 24 nations revealed that suggestions of China were broadly negative, with 67 per cent of adults expressing unfavorable views. More than half of respondents said China disturbed in the affairs of other countries and did not take into account the interests of others.