China has reopened its borders to travelers and will once again start issuing tourism visas to foreigners from Wednesday, March 15, a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry revealed.
Travel to the country has been suspended since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The move marks the latest step towards reopening China to the outside world, as Beijing breaks with the strict zero-COVID strategy that defined its pandemic response the last three years..
In addition to new visas being reviewed and approved, those issued before March 28, 2020 that remain valid will once again allow entry to China. According to the notices that appeared on the websites of several overseas Chinese missions, including its embassies in the United States and France.
The updated immigration policy will also allow for the resumption of visa-free travel for those arriving on cruise ships to Shanghai as well as for certain tourist groups from Hong Kong, Macau and countries within the ASEAN regional grouping, the notice said.
The move would “further facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel”, it added.
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