A closer look at National Immigration Administration statistics shows that 505,000 of the 682,000 foreign nationals who entered China between 1 and 7 October did so under one of the country’s visa-exemption schemes. That means nearly three quarters of all foreigners arriving during the peak week skipped the consular visa process altogether. The biggest contributors were citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and Malaysia using Hainan Island’s 30-day visa-free entry, travellers from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia on short-stay bilateral waivers, and European business visitors transiting China for up to 240 hours. Officials say the figures vindicate Beijing’s strategy of rolling out gradual, country-by-country waivers to support inbound tourism and attract short-term business travellers without opening the floodgates. Immigration lawyers point out that visa-free status does not automatically confer work rights. Foreign assignees who intend to carry out remunerated activities must still obtain a work permit and Z-visa before entry or convert their status on arrival, a process that can take up to 15 working days in tier-one cities. Companies are therefore advised to map out assignment timelines carefully and avoid relying on visa-free entry for anything other than meetings, market visits and after-sales support. From a policy perspective, the surge will strengthen the hand of Chinese ministries lobbying for more reciprocal arrangements—Canada and the United States remain notable hold-outs. Analysts expect further announcements before the 2027 summer travel season, with Hungary, Saudi Arabia and South Africa frequently mentioned in diplomatic briefings as next-in-line for 30-day waiver deals.
Source: Xinhua
