China extends visa-free entry to over 70 countries

MEASURE TO DRAW TOURISTS } 30 DAYS FOR MANY IN EUROPE, ASIA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE MIDEAST

- Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Foreign tourists are trickling back to China after the country loosened its visa policy to unprecedented levels.

Citizens from 74 countries can now enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, a big jump from previous regulations.

The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism, the economy and its soft power. More than 20 million foreign visitors entered without a visa in 2024 — almost one-third of the total and more than double from the previous year, according to the National Immigration Administration.