China and Singapore Sign Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption
On January 25, the governments of China and Singapore signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, marking a significant step in enhancing bilateral ties between the two countries.
The agreement, which will officially enter into force on February 9, 2024 (Lunar New Year’s Eve), allows people from both sides holding ordinary passports to enter the other country without a visa for tourism, family visits, business, and other private affairs, with their stay not exceeding 30 days. However, those entering the other country for work, news reporting, and activities that require prior approval, or those planning to stay for more than 30 days, must obtain the corresponding visa before entering the other country.
This new agreement is in line with China’s efforts to promote high-level opening up to the world, as Wu Xi, the Director of the Consular Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted. China has been actively working to facilitate global personnel exchanges and has already signed similar mutual visa exemption agreements with 157 countries while reaching simplified visa procedures with 44 countries and comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 22 countries, including Singapore, Maldives, and Kazakhstan.
This marks a significant improvement in the convenience of Chinese citizens traveling abroad, with more than 60 countries and regions offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival options for Chinese citizens. The “gold content” of Chinese passports is expected to become increasingly high as a result.
In light of these changes, there has been a surge in interest among travelers, with search volumes for air tickets and hotels reportedly doubling instantly following the announcement of the agreement.
The Chinese government has expressed a warm welcome to friends from around the world to visit China for tourism, business, investment, and study, emphasizing the importance of respecting the laws, regulations, and bilateral agreements of local countries to maintain orderly personnel exchanges.
As the implementation of this visa exemption agreement approaches, it is expected to further enhance the post-Spring Festival tourism market and contribute to closer ties between China and Singapore. This development has no doubt marked an important milestone in the friendship and cooperation between the two nations.