China expands visa-free policy to 9 more countries including South Korea

Starting Nov. 8, nationals from these countries, which also include Slovakia, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein, will be allowed to enter China for business, tourism, family visits, or transit for up to 15 days without a visa, the ministry said.

The policy will be in effect through Dec. 31, 2025.

Last month, citizens of Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia were also granted visa-free entry to China, increasing the total number of European countries benefiting from this policy to 17.

China welcomed an estimated 95 million inbound tourists in the first nine months of this year, representing a 55.4% year-on-year increase, according to the Xinhua News Agency. This figure is equivalent to 93.4% of the inbound tourist numbers for the same period in 2019.

To further accommodate international visitors, the Chinese government has mandated that major tourist attractions accept a range of payment methods, including foreign bank cards, QR codes, and cash.