The best consumer products news from Spain
Provided by AGP
China, Russia Lock In Visa-Free Travel to 2027
(MENAFN) China has formally extended visa-free entry for Russian nationals through December 2027, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday — a significant diplomatic signal timed to coincide with President Vladimir Putin's two-day state visit to Beijing.
"China has decided to extend its visa-free policy for Russian citizens until December 31, 2027, in order to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between the two countries," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told journalists.
Guo outlined the practical scope of the arrangement: holders of standard Russian passports may enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family visits, and exchange programs for stays not exceeding 30 days. The policy was originally piloted as a one-year trial beginning last September.
Russia wasted no time in kind. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced later Wednesday that Moscow would extend its own reciprocal visa-free arrangement with China through 2027 as well, calling the existing mutual framework "highly effective."
The twin announcements reflect a relationship that has grown substantially broader in scope. The two nations have steadily deepened cooperation across trade, energy infrastructure, finance, manufacturing, and technology, while new air corridors, university partnerships, and regional investment programs have further woven the two economies together.
Cross-border travel data illustrates just how quickly the relationship has translated into movement. Russia's Federal Security Service recorded 2.5 million trips by Russian nationals to China in 2025 — a jump of more than 30% year-on-year, putting figures within striking distance of the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2.6 million set in 2019.
Chinese travelers have been equally active. Border control figures show that Chinese nationals represented more than half of the 1.64 million foreign tourists who visited Russia in 2025. In the final quarter of the year alone, Chinese tourist arrivals climbed 23.8% compared to the same period a year earlier — a surge directly attributed to the introduction of the visa-free regime. Russia had granted Chinese citizens reciprocal visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days back in December.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
