China and Singapore signed a mutual visa exemption agreement in Beijing on Thursday, allowing ordinary passport holders to stay for up to 30 days.
The agreement is scheduled to come into force on February 9, China’s New Year’s Eve.
According to the agreement, visa exemptions apply to tourists, family visitors and business purposes.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news conference that the agreement was a “lunar new year gift to the peoples of the two countries.”
“This agreement is certain to further strengthen people-to-people exchanges between China and Singapore and promote the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields,” Wang said.
Singapore is becoming more popular among Chinese tourists during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, according to Chinese online travel agency Ctrip.
Bookings for people traveling from China to Singapore during the Lunar New Year holiday rose 14 times year-on-year by Wednesday, according to the agency’s statistics.
Malaysia and China granted visa-free entry to each other’s nationals in December.
Earlier this month, China announced unilateral visa-free entry for Irish and Swiss passport holders.
high level release
Wu Xi, Director-General of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that China has demonstrated its determination to promote high-level opening-up by taking a series of measures to facilitate cross-border travel.
“We welcome friends from countries around the world to come to China for travel, business, investment and study,” Wu said in an interview with China Media Group.
China enjoys comprehensive reciprocal visa exemptions with 22 countries, including Singapore, Maldives and Kazakhstan.
Mr. Wu said that Chinese and foreign visitors should maintain order in cross-border travel by respecting the laws and regulations of the countries they are traveling to, as well as bilateral agreements concluded between China and other countries. He said he hopes to maintain the same.
