A foreign tourist goes through customs at the Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

China this week launched a trial policy that grants unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, expanding its unilateral visa-free access list to 47 countries.

Under the policy, which will remain in effect through June 8, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from these four countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit.

Both the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have established reciprocal visa-free arrangements with China since 2018, which means all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now enjoy visa-free access to China.

The expansion has been warmly welcomed across the Gulf region and is expected to boost bilateral exchanges, strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties, and inject new momentum into broader China-GCC cooperation.

Source: Xinhua
Editor: Lyu Yun