AFPCustoms at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 12:03
China will temporarily exempt people with a Dutch passport from a visa requirement. Dutch people can then visit China for fifteen days, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. The exemption takes effect on December 1 and lasts for one year. The measure also applies to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Malaysia.
China has not said why these five EU countries were chosen. The four largest economies of the EU are included.
The exemption is seen as an enticement for tourists to come back to China after the pandemic. In August, Beijing scrapped all coronavirus testing requirements for incoming travelers.
China has also taken other steps in recent months to revive its tourism sector, including restoring international flight routes. They were at a standstill due to strict corona measures, which meant that the borders were almost completely closed to the outside world.
Negative image
Furthermore, China is trying to clean up its image in the field of human rights. An international survey quoted by the Reuters news agency shows that 67% of respondents have a negative image of China.
The German ambassador to China is pleased with the exemption. “This decision will make traveling to China much easier for many German citizens,” writes Patricia Flor on X.
It is not the first time that China has given countries a visa exemption. Earlier this month, the country expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries, meaning citizens from Norway also do not need a visa.
2023-11-24 11:03:15
#Dutch #people #travel #China #visafree
