China extends visa-free entry to 75 countries amid tourism growth

China has doubled the list of countries whose citizens may visit without a visa. Tourists from 75 states now have the right to visa-free entry for up to 30 days. This initiative, aimed at reviving the economy and strengthening China's international standing, took effect at the end of 2023, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged lockdowns that were among the strictest in the world.

Visa-free entry was initially allowed for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Subsequently, almost all European Union countries gained similar rights. The list of visa-free countries came to include Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, South American countries — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay — as well as a number of Middle Eastern countries. It is worth noting that citizens of the Russian Federation are not on the visa-free list and still require a visa to visit China.

Most of these countries are participating in the programme as part of a one-year trial period, but the visa-free regime is already seeing significant demand. According to China's National Immigration Administration, 20 million foreign tourists visited the country visa-free in 2024 — a third of all international arrivals, and double the figure from the previous year.

Commercial indicators are also positive: the number of travel bookings to China in the first three months of 2025 doubled compared with the same period the previous year, with 75% of bookings made by tourists from visa-free countries.

Most African countries are not on the visa-free list. In addition, citizens of the US, UK, and Canada still require a visa, although they, along with citizens of 52 other countries, can make use of transit stays of up to 10 days at 60 entry points in China.

Sweden's absence from the list of visa-free countries stands out, given that almost all other EU states are included. Diplomatic relations between Sweden and China remain strained following the 2020 disappearance in Thailand and subsequent detention in China of Swedish publisher and author Gui Minhai, who received a 10-year sentence for publishing material critical of Chinese authorities.

Despite international concerns over China's adherence to due-process standards in the Minhai case, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in its Economic Impact Research (EIR) report for spring 2025, named China one of the world's most dynamically developing tourism markets, showing significant growth and long-term development prospects. Industry revenue in 2025 is expected to reach a record 13.7 trillion yuan, supporting employment for more than 83 million people.