Extension of visa-free transit stay makes travel more convenient: foreign travelers

The first batch of international travelers enjoying China's newly extended visa-free policy said their experience was highly convenient, reflecting success as the country launches greater efforts to provide better services to facilitate inbound travel.

China announced on Tuesday a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.

Under the new policy, 21 more ports were designated for visa-free entry and exit, bringing the total number to 60.

After the policy took effect immediately following the announcement, foreign travelers arriving at an airport in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Tuesday said the new policy allows them to spend less time in preparation, making coming to the country again in the future more attractive.

"For me the 240 hours of a big advantage to come to China without too much preparation in advance, having the chance to enjoy beautiful cities like Chongqing. Big advantage. I would like to take advantage of this more often to visit my Chinese friends," said Morin Kevin, an overseas tourist.

East China's Shandong Province now has four international airports and one passenger port designated for the new policy.

Since the beginning of this year, the Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport has seen over 6,400 foreign travels enter China visa free, increasing nearly 74 percent compared with the same period of last year.

"Traveling to China is definitely more convenient for me," said a Chinese American.

In east China's Zhejiang Province, overseas tourists can now enjoy the updated policy if entering through six designated ports with two international airports in Wenzhou and Jinhua being newly added.

Extension of visa-free transit stay makes travel more convenient: foreign travelers

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Shri Ajit Doval, India's national security adviser and special representative for the India-China boundary question, in Beijing on Wednesday.

Han said that China and India, as ancient oriental civilizations and emerging major powers, adhere to independence, solidarity and cooperation, which is of global influence and strategic significance.

Noting that next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, Han said the two sides should implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, foster political mutual trust, and gradually resume institutional dialogue as well as exchanges and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and culture, to bring bilateral relations back onto the track of stable development.

Doval said the resumption of the meeting between special representatives of both countries for the boundary question after an interval of five years is an important move to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and is of great significance for advancing bilateral relations.

India is willing to strengthen strategic communication with China, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations, said Doval.

Chinese VP meets India's national security adviser