China extends visa-free entry to more than 70 countries to draw tourists

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

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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.

"This really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa and go through the process," Georgi Shavadze, a Georgian living in Austria, said on a recent visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.