China allows visa-free entry for British and Canadian nationals starting February 17

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China allows visa-free entry for British and Canadian nationals starting February 17

2 hours ago

News sources:

SCMP

CHANNELNEWSASIA

BBC

China allows visa-free entry for British and Canadian nationals starting February 17

Credited from: BBC

China will allow Canadian and British nationals to enter visa-free from February 17.
Visitors can stay for up to 30 days for various purposes such as tourism and business.
This move aligns UK and Canadian travel regulations with over 50 other countries.
The new policy aims to enhance exchanges between China and these nations.
The policy is currently set to remain in effect until December 31.

Starting February 17, 2024, Chinese authorities will permit visa-free entry for nationals of Canada and the UK, marking a significant shift in travel policies. The new guideline allows travelers to stay for less than 30 days without the need for a visa, aimed at tourism, business, and family visits, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

This decision follows discussions between UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping during Starmer's visit to Beijing in January. Both leaders emphasized the relationship's potential for growth, citing that "British businesses had been 'crying out for ways to grow their footprints in China'," according to BBC and Channel News Asia.

The initiative aims to simplify travel for hundreds of thousands, with the UK Office for National Statistics estimating around 620,000 British travelers to China in 2024. This aligns UK travel rules with those of over 50 countries, including major European and Asia-Pacific nations, according to South China Morning Post and BBC.