China News Service, Beijing, January 31 (Reporter Zhang Su and Guo Chaokai) Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin hosted a regular press conference on the 31st.
A reporter asked: Recently, China, Singapore and Thailand have successively signed mutual visa exemption agreements. China’s unilateral visa exemption and mutual visa exemption are becoming more and more intensive. Can the spokesperson introduce the effects of relevant policies? What measures will be taken in the future to further facilitate personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries?
Wang Wenbin: As you just mentioned, China’s visa-free “circle of friends” continues to expand, and more and more countries have officially entered the “visa-free era.” So far, China has concluded mutual visa exemption agreements covering different passports with 157 countries, reached agreements or arrangements on simplified visa procedures with 44 countries, and achieved comprehensive mutual visa cooperation with 23 countries including Thailand, Singapore, Maldives, and the United Arab Emirates. Visa-free. In addition, more than 60 countries and regions offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival facilities to Chinese citizens. The above-mentioned measures have made it more and more convenient for Chinese citizens to leave the country, and the "gold content" of Chinese passports has become higher and higher. They have also provided more convenience for foreigners to travel, work, study and live in China, and have been widely welcomed by the international community.
Optimizing visa policies and promoting personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries are important diplomatic measures to serve China's high-quality development and high-level opening up, and will bring more opportunities for deepening friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and foreign countries. The head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization recently stated that China's visa-free policy will help the world's tourism industry pick up again, and the vigorous development of China's tourism industry will also drive the common development of the tourism industry of neighboring countries. After China and Singapore and China and Thailand reached a mutual visa exemption agreement, during the Spring Festival, travel orders from Chinese tourists to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and travel orders from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to China increased significantly year-on-year. The positive effects of the “visa-free era” are constantly emerging.
We will continue to promote the continuous improvement and upgrading of measures to facilitate the exchange of personnel between China and foreign countries, and provide a strong guarantee for Chinese citizens to go abroad more safely and conveniently. We also welcome more foreign friends to come to China to experience first-hand the vitality of the Chinese land, the warmth and friendliness of the Chinese people, and the fireworks of the Chinese people, and write more wonderful stories of Chinese and foreign people getting to know each other in the new era. (over)