China will make greater efforts to accelerate negotiations on joining the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Thursday.
A ministerial-level meeting between China and DEPA member countries took place on Nov. 14, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, with all parties participating in in-depth discussions on the progress of negotiations and work to be done in the next stage of the accession process.
"China will work jointly with DEPA member countries to step up the negotiation process in order to achieve results as soon as possible. At the same time, China will join the DEPA members in exploring the potential of digital economic cooperation and ensuring prompt implementation of specific cooperation projects toward the achievement of success at an early date," said MOC Spokeswoman He Yongqian at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.
China began negotiations to join DEPA -- a new trade partnership agreement initiated by New Zealand, Singapore and Chile -- in August 2022.
The country has since held five ministerial-level meetings and several rounds of technical consultations with DEPA members, discussing topics related to the digital economy such as business and trade facilitation, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
China has also engaged actively in exchange seminars and promoted practical cooperation in specific areas with multiple DEPA members, including cooperation on electronic invoices and electronic bills of lading.
China to advance efforts to join DEPA: Ministry of Commerce
China has achieved full mutual visa exemption with 25 countries, while rolling out unilateral visa-free policies for 29 countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
Tong Xuejun, deputy director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs, said at a press conference in Beijing that the 25 countries having full mutual visa exemption arrangement with China include the six ones that signed such agreements with China this year.
"Over the past year, we have signed mutual visa-free agreements with six other countries: Singapore, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Antigua and Barbuda, Georgia and the Solomon Islands. China has so far signed such agreements with a total of 25 countries. Following the practice of some other countries, we have rolled out unilateral visa-free policies for 29 other countries, including France and Germany. Up to now, China has concluded visa-free agreements covering different passport types with 157 other countries and regions," he said.
Tong said China has introduced a new simplified visa application form for foreigners and its overseas embassies and consulates have lifted the requirement for visa-processing reservation and expand the range of foreigners exempt of fingerprint collection, effectively facilitating their entry into China.
So far this year, China has reached reciprocal arrangements with other countries like Brazil and Australia on 5-year and 10-year multi-entry visas, and issued five-year multiple-entry visas to people from Central and Eastern European countries, while taking an active part in the APEC Business Travel Card program and providing convenience for businesspeople exchange in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.
"Next, we will create more convenience for exchanges between Chinese and foreigners, especially businesspeople, so as to serve high-quality development and high-level reform and opening-up," Tong said.
China signs mutual visa-free deals with 25 nations: official
