Wang Huiyao: China’s visa-free initiative shows it is choosing openness over isolation
November 26 , 2024From SCMP， 2024-11-26
■ China is ready for the world to witness its development, experience its culture and engage with its people.
By Wang Huiyao | Founder of the Center for China and Globalization(CCG)
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.
While others raise trade barriers, a China committed to openness is exempting dozens of least developed countries from tariffs, showing its dedication to international cooperation. Beijing should be encouraged to go further by unilaterally implementing the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with the European Union that was put on hold after sanctions from both sides.
Amid heightened global tensions, China’s expansion of its visa-free scheme reflects a strategic move to grow its soft power as it encourages more people around the world to discover its latest developments and hear its most compelling stories.
When people across the world share their experiences of China’s high-speed railways, urban development and cultural heritage on social media, they offer authentic glimpses of a modern China that resonate more deeply than official narratives. This ground-up “diplomacy” is particularly effective in reshaping international perceptions, especially among the younger generation. Such direct and personal experiences often overturn preconceptions.
China is betting on a simple truth: personal connections build trust more effectively than any government pronouncement. This confident move suggests Beijing values genuine engagement over controlled messaging, and reflects a broader strategy of using increased openness to counter scepticism.
The international response has been positive. For instance, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the country’s inclusion in China’s visa-free scheme, noting its potential to boost cooperation between the two countries.
Such reactions suggest a recognition that in today’s fragmented world, lowering barriers to exchanges between peoples can help reignite global economic momentum. For European nations in particular, easier access to the Chinese market represents both an economic opportunity and a chance to deepen cultural understanding.
The next logical step would be expand the visa-free scheme to major economies like the United States, Britain and Canada. Given the diplomatic tensions, increased people-to-people exchanges could help build bridges where official dialogue has stalled. As the world’s largest economy, the US remains a vital source of technology, innovation and investment. Opening up to Americans could create significant business opportunities and facilitate knowledge exchange.
Similarly, Canada’s expertise in clean energy, education and environmental protection offers valuable collaboration potential. Any negative image or stereotypes can be changed once people see China for themselves.
The visa-free policy can also strengthen academic exchanges with these developed countries, fostering knowledge-sharing and enhancing China’s development. The success of Hainan’s ambitious visa-free scheme, which lets visitors from 59 countries stay for up to 30 days, suggests a broader national programme can boost international exchanges while still maintaining proper security measures.
However, the broader challenge lies in streamlining the visitor experience. For travellers from countries that still require a visa, Beijing should consider overhauling the application process, such as eliminating visa appointments, waiving the fingerprint collection for low-risk applicants and reducing fees.
Immigration procedures also need modernisation. The success of automated immigration gates at airports in Singapore and Japan offer a glimpse into more efficient tech-enabled border controls while maintaining security standards.
China’s tourism sector itself needs strategic upgrades to match the new openness. Both government agencies and private operators should enhance their services, from providing multilingual support to making digital payments more accessible.
Cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam have shown how crucial it is to sustainably manage tourism growth. The Chinese authorities must balance tourism promotion with protection of local communities and cultural sites.
After all, sustainable tourism isn’t just about attracting more visitors – it’s about creating lasting value for both guests and hosts while preserving the authenticity that makes destinations worth visiting in the first place.
China’s visa-free initiative is more than just an administrative change. It reflects a strategic choice to embrace openness and engagement when many nations are turning inward. It displays China’s confidence that the best way to be understood is to be experienced first-hand. China is ready for the world to witness its development, experience its culture and engage with its people.
This could well become a cornerstone of China’s engagement strategy. In choosing openness over isolation, China is showing that meaningful connections can flourish, even in challenging times.
From SCMP， 2024-11-26
