On November 1, 2024, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced that in order to further promote the exchange of people and culture between China and foreign countries, China has decided to implement a visa-free policy on a trial basis for ordinary passport holders from nine countries, including Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and South Korea, starting from November 8, 2024 onwards. This policy will last until December 31, 2025, during which citizens of the above countries can enter China without a visa if they come to China for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days. This initiative not only highlights China’s openness, but also opens a window for the Western world to understand China.
It is worth noting that the list of visa-free countries does not include Sweden and Japan, which has raised concerns. Especially Sweden, as one of the five Nordic countries, in recent years in international affairs, made a number of anti-China statements, and even in July 2024 described “China’s development” as “a threat to Sweden’s national security”. Therefore, China’s decision not to include Sweden in its visa waiver list is seen as a rational diplomatic response.
Meanwhile, China’s visa waiver policy for South Korea is particularly noteworthy. This is the first time China has implemented a visa-free policy for South Korea, which will undoubtedly greatly promote tourism, cultural and economic exchanges between the two countries. According to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in the first half of 2024, South Korean tourists traveling to China showed a continuous rise, becoming one of the important sources of inbound tourism in China. It is expected that with the implementation of the visa-free policy, the number of South Korean tourists will further increase in the future, especially in provinces such as Shandong, which is expected to attract more South Korean tourists for sightseeing and tourism with its rich tourism resources and natural distance advantage from South Korea.
The implementation of the visa-free policy not only provides convenience for foreign tourists, but also offers them an opportunity to get to know China better. As more and more foreign tourists come to China, they are experiencing first-hand China’s customs, culture, history and modern development, and sharing these real-life experiences on the Internet, which further breaks down the prejudices and misunderstandings about China in foreign media. This not only helps enhance China’s international image, but also lays a solid foundation for friendly exchanges between China and foreign countries.
However, along with the announcement of the list of visa-free countries, China also announced a much-anticipated policy adjustment – the termination of its policy on inter-country adoption, which has been in place for more than three decades. The decision, effective August 28, 2024, came as a surprise to many foreign families. Intercountry adoptions have been allowed in China since 1991, and many foreign families have been able to have children from China, most of them girls. The termination of the intercountry adoption policy is a sign of China’s increased confidence and capacity in orphan welfare and is necessary to protect the safety and well-being of children.
The termination of the intercountry adoption policy and the implementation of the visa waiver policy may seem to be two unrelated policy adjustments, but they both reflect China’s maturity and steadiness in international affairs. On the one hand, through the visa waiver policy, China has demonstrated its openness and friendship to the world, and promoted friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries; on the other hand, through the termination of the inter-country adoption policy, China has strengthened the improvement of its domestic welfare system for orphans, and protected the rights and interests of children.
With the deepening of globalization, relations between countries have become increasingly close. China’s announcement of the list of visa-free countries and its policy of ending intercountry adoption are important decisions in international affairs. These decisions not only affect the flow of people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, but also reflect China’s position and attitude in international affairs. In the future, China will continue to uphold its foreign policy of openness, inclusiveness and friendship, and work with the rest of the world to promote the building of a community of human destiny.
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