In addition to the visa changes, China has also tried to ease travel operations, improve infrastructure, and address issues raised by international travelers.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, has struggled to emerge from three years of pandemic isolation. On Tuesday, it announced an expansion of its visa-free transit policy, allowing eligible foreign travelers, including Americans, to stay in parts of the country for up to 10 days.
This policy aims to welcome more international tourists to enhance China’s economy. Travelers are now allowed to spend from 72 hours to 144 hours depending on their destination in the country.
However, the new policy, which came into effect immediately, will cover passport holders from 54 countries, including the US, Canada, and several European and Asian nations. For a traveler to be eligible, he must have confirmed tickets to leave China within 10 days. The traveler can enter the country in 60 places across 24 provinces, including the capital, Beijing, and China’s largest city, Shanghai.
The extended plan further enables the transit visitors to travel across regions while they stay, subject to some conditions.
