China Announces Plans to Allow Visa-Free Entry for Swiss and Irish Nationals
China has announced plans to allow nationals of Switzerland and Ireland to enter the country without the need for a visa, in an effort to facilitate travel for these European nations.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang made the announcement during his visit to the EU, where he suggested that Swiss travellers would soon be permitted to enter China visa-free. He also expressed China’s desire to facilitate personnel exchanges with Ireland, indicating the possibility of dropping the visa requirement for Irish nationals as well.
The decision to lift the visa requirement for nationals of Switzerland and Ireland is part of China’s attempt to attract more tourists after the COVID-19 pandemic and improve ties with EU nations. The travel and tourism sector in China was heavily impacted by the pandemic, and the country is now working to promote tourism and attract travellers from all over the world.
China recently introduced visa-free entry for travellers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 15 days for tourism, business, family, or transit purposes. While this visa-free regime is currently on a “trial basis”, it has proven to be effective in attracting visitors from these five EU countries.
The lifting of the visa requirement for passport holders of these five countries has already resulted in a significant number of visitors entering China visa-free for tourism and business purposes. With higher numbers of visitors expected in the coming months, China’s move to permit visa-free travel for Swiss and Irish nationals is a positive step towards revitalizing the travel and tourism industry in the country.
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