China Grants Visa-Free Entry to Citizens of 43 Countries in Bid to Revive Inbound Travel
India–China Direct Flights Resume After Five-Year Hiatus
240-Hour Transit Waiver Drives Double-Digit Growth in Foreign Arrivals
Dernières nouvelles
Shenzhen Records 160 % Jump in Visa-Free Arrivals as Greater Bay Integration Gains Pace
New immigration data released on 27 October show visa-free arrivals to Shenzhen up 160 % this year, highlighting the impact of China’s relaxed entry rules and the pull of the Greater Bay Area. The boom is boosting hotel occupancy, retail sales and cross-border business ties, prompting authorities to pilot a dedicated GBA traveller card.
China’s Visa-Free Push Lifts 2024 Cross-Border Movements to 610 Million
China processed 610 million border crossings in 2024, a 44 % rebound fuelled by visa-free policies and digitalised immigration systems, according to figures released on 27 October. The uptick reflects China’s strategy of using mobility liberalisation to drive tourism, trade and Belt and Road engagement.
China's 2025/26 Winter-Spring Flight Timetable Adds 10.8 % More International Frequencies
CAAC launched the 2025/26 winter-spring timetable on 26 October, lifting weekly flights to 119,500 and boosting international frequencies by 10.8 %. Major hubs in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou regain over half of China’s overseas traffic, while new routes to India, Oman, Argentina and others deepen global reach. The expanded lift dovetails with China’s broader visa-free push and offers corporates faster, cheaper options for moving people and goods.
Fujian Secures Its First Fifth-Freedom Route: Phnom Penh-Fuzhou-Tokyo Service Debuts
On 26 October, Cambodia Angkor Air launched a Phnom Penh-Fuzhou-Tokyo service, granting Fujian its first Fifth-Freedom route. The tri-sector flight injects 120,000 seats a year into Fuzhou’s network, gives Japanese travellers direct access to Fujian’s free-trade zone and offers Cambodian airlines a cost-efficient bridge to Japan. The approval hints at wider liberalisation of traffic rights for China’s regional airports.
India-China Air Bridge Restored as IndiGo’s Kolkata–Guangzhou Flight Takes Off
A daily IndiGo service between Kolkata and Guangzhou took off on 26 October, ending a five-year suspension of direct India-China flights. The route cuts travel time, opens new cargo capacity and signals improving political ties, but ongoing visa bottlenecks mean travellers should still plan well ahead.