China has announced the expansion of its visa-free policy to include 47 countries, effective from June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026.
The announcement was made during the first-ever ASEAN-China-GCC Summit in Kuala Lumpur, a landmark event highlighting new economic and cultural alignments amidst shifting global dynamics.
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The list of countries now eligible for visa-free travel to China includes a diverse range of nations such as France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, and all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
This follows earlier visa exemptions granted to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in 2018, completing full visa-free coverage for the GCC bloc.
Travelers holding ordinary passports from these countries can enter China without a visa for purposes such as tourism, business, family visits, or transit, for stays of up to 30 days.
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While the policy has been widely welcomed, the exclusion of certain nations has raised questions about China’s diplomatic priorities.
The absence of sub-Saharan African countries and close allies like Pakistan has led to speculation about underlying tensions or strategic selectivity.
Another notable country that was absent from the list was Canada. As usual, the US was also exempted from the list.
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The countries that were previously on China’s visa-free list for mainland entry but were dropped in the recent update are:
- Thailand
- Maldives
- Serbia
- Mauritius
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Dominica
- Bahamas