- Nationals from Slovenia, Greece, Denmark, and Cyprus can now travel to China visa-free for short-term stays of up to 15 days.
- The visa exemption covers tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, and transit purposes.
- The decision follows high-level meetings between Chinese officials and their counterparts from Slovenia, Greece, Denmark, and Cyprus.
- China has been gradually extending visa-free entry to more EU nations, further strengthening bilateral relations and easing travel restrictions.
In a significant move aimed at enhancing diplomatic and economic ties, China has announced that nationals from Slovenia, Greece, Denmark, and Cyprus can now travel to the country without needing a visa for short-term stays. This new policy allows citizens from these four European Union nations to stay in China for up to 15 days for various purposes, including tourism, business, family visits, and transit, without having to apply for a visa beforehand.
The decision to lift the visa requirements for Slovenian nationals was confirmed following a meeting on September 25 between Slovenia’s Foreign Minister, Tanja Fajon, and China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. Fajon welcomed the development, emphasizing the importance of positive relations between the two nations.
“We are building on the positive relations between Slovenia and China through various activities, especially through economic cooperation. I also welcome the decision to abolish visas for Slovenian citizens, which we have consistently advocated in the past,” said Fajon. She further stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation in today’s polarised global landscape, even when countries do not always agree on every issue.
Following Slovenia’s announcement, China revealed that the visa-free policy would also apply to Greek nationals. Greece now joins Slovenia in benefitting from this policy, marking another step forward in fostering closer relations between China and EU member states.
Denmark and Cyprus are the latest countries to receive the same visa exemption. Following a meeting between Chinese and Danish foreign ministers, China confirmed the policy change for Danish nationals. Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised Denmark as a comprehensive strategic partner of China in Northern Europe, noting that the visa-free initiative reflects the strong relationship between the two nations.
“China has decided to implement a visa-free policy for Denmark. We welcome more Danish friends to visit China, and we also hope that Denmark will introduce more convenient measures for Chinese personnel to visit Denmark,” Wang Yi stated in a press release.
Cypriot nationals also now enjoy visa-free access to China, further strengthening ties between the two countries. Konstantinos Letymbiotis, a spokesperson for the Cypriot government, described the visa waiver as a testament to the enhanced bilateral relationship between Cyprus and China.
These latest announcements follow a broader trend of China expanding visa-free travel to European nations. Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed that Norwegians can now enter China without visas for stays of up to 15 days for various purposes, including tourism and business. Several other EU countries already benefit from similar agreements, signaling China’s growing willingness to ease travel restrictions for European citizens.
The visa-free policy is expected to boost tourism, business exchanges, and people-to-people connections between China and these countries, solidifying cooperation on various fronts.
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