At the regular press conference hosted by Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China on Wednesday, a reporter asked: During the ASEAN-China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, China announced a trial visa-free policy for four countries including Saudi Arabia. Could the spokesperson provide further information on this? In response, Mao Ning stated that in order to further facilitate the exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel, China has decided to expand the scope of visa-free countries. From June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026, a trial visa-free policy will be implemented for ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Mao Ning said that ordinary passport holders from the above four countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, visits, or transit for no more than 30 days. Coupled with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which have a full mutual visa exemption with China since 2018 among the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, China has achieved full coverage of visa-free policies for Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Mao Ning also said at the press conference on that day, “We welcome more friends from Gulf Cooperation Council countries to embark on an impromptu trip to China.”

It is worth noting that this is another expansion of China’s visa-free policy.

At the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Latin America Forum, in order to further facilitate the exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel, China decided to expand the scope of visa-free countries. From June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, a trial visa-free policy will be implemented for ordinary passport holders from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. Ordinary passport holders from the above five countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, visits, or transit for no more than 30 days.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out at the regular press conference on May 15 that China will adhere to high-level opening-up to the outside world, introduce more measures, and continuously improve the facilitation level of exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel. We welcome more foreign friends to make good use of China’s visa-free and visa facilitation policies, visit China more often, and experience the colorful, enthusiastic and dynamic China.

The continuous expansion of China’s visa-free “circle of friends” not only promotes cultural exchanges but also generates economic benefits.

According to the National Economic and Social Development Statistical Communique of 2024 released by the National Bureau of Statistics on February 28, in 2024, the number of foreign nationals entering China through the visa-free policy reached 20.12 million person-times, a substantial year-on-year increase of 112.3%.

The communique shows that in 2024, the number of inbound tourists was 131.9 million person-times, an increase of 60.8%, including 26.94 million foreign tourists and 104.96 million tourists from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The total expenditure of inbound tourists was 94.2 billion US dollars, an increase of 77.8%.