Visa-free policy yielding ‘positive results,’ says China

ISTANBUL

Beijing on Tuesday said its visa-free entry for six nations has yielded “positive results” as more people have entered the Chinese territory since early December.

“The policy has produced positive effects,” said Wang Wenbin, spokesman of China’s Foreign Ministry, when asked about Beijing’s decision last month that granted 15-day visa-free entry to people from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

They are eligible to enter China from Dec. 1 without any requirement of visa and the policy will continue until next November.

Revealing the number of people who entered China on first three days of the current month, Wang said: “Nearly 18,000 travelers from the six countries entered China, with the daily average up by 39% from Nov. 30. Nearly 7,000 of these travelers or 39% of the total came on the visa-free policy.”

These numbers show “how the unilateral visa-free policy is making things easier for travelers of the six countries,” he said, adding that Beijing will “continue to adjust visa policies to create more favorable conditions and further facilitate cross-border travel.”