Opinion | China’s visa-free initiative shows it is choosing openness over isolation

China’s visa-free policy for visitors, introduced last year, is quickly becoming its largest visa liberalisation since the founding of the People’s Republic. Last week, it added nine more countries to the scheme, including Japan, taking the total to 38.

Effective from the end of the month, travellers from Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia and Latvia can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days. This is a doubling of the 15 days the scheme granted previously and applies to all countries on the list, which include South Korea and several European states.

The numbers tell the story. In the first seven months of this year, China received 17.25 million foreign visitors, a dramatic increase of nearly 130 per cent year on year. This recovery has sparked optimism in the tourism sector.

The influx is injecting fresh momentum into sectors from hotels and restaurants to transport and retail, creating jobs amid the domestic consumption weakness. Hashtags related to China travel are trending on social media, reflecting growing interest.

China’s reopening is also expected to benefit tourism globally as Chinese traveller numbers recover. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese tourists were the world’s largest group of top spenders.

Global mobility matters. International travel, disrupted by the pandemic, is being interrupted again by anti-globalisation forces. As the world economy slows, countries are turning inward, putting up trade barriers, restricting technology transfer and limiting academic exchange. Protectionism is creating walls between nations just when we need more bridges. By welcoming more visitors, Beijing is choosing engagement over isolation.