New Visa-Free Policy M=marks new chapter in China-LAC Ties

Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2025. 8:49 am CST.

The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize News.

Author: Chen Ziqi, journalist with CGTN

Address: No. 16 Shijingshan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, China. Post code: 100040

Contact: 86-13691380835

Starting June 1, 2025, China’s visa-free policy will benefit five Latin American countries, with the trial period lasting until  May 31, 2026. [Photo: VCG]

Starting June 1, 2025, China is to roll out a visa-free policy to nationals from five Latin American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, on a one-year trial basis. Citizens with ordinary passports will be able to visit, do business or transit without a visa for a maximum of 30 days. This is making spontaneous travel and cultural communications easier than ever.

This policy, effective through May 31, 2026, represents a concrete step toward China’s further opening up, creates more opportunities for people-to-people exchanges, and deepens China’s ties with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

China’s Growing Appeal for LAC Travelers-from Movies to Destinations

According to the China Tourism Academy, LAC is emerging as a significant source of inbound tourism to China. They are increasingly drawn to China’s renowned tourist destinations, particularly those offering remarkable natural landscapes and profound cultural and historical insights.

cloud-shrouded mountains in Zhangjiajie [Photo: VCG]

Zhangjiajie, located in central China’s Hunan Province, is renowned for its otherworldly landscapes, which inspired the floating mountains in the blockbuster film Avatar. Zhang Chong, director at the Zhangjiajie Scenic and Historic Interest Area, notes that tourists from LAC countries coming to the scenic spot have evolved into group tours, reflecting the growing number of visitors from the region.

Jiuzhaigou Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sichuan Province, saw a surge in international interest after its fairy-tale landscapes appeared in Chinese fantasy films, such as Painted Skin: The Resurrection. Its turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, and snow-capped peaks offer a surreal escape that feels lifted from a movie set.

Another destination on the rise is Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang Province—China’s answer to Hollywood. Dubbed the world’s largest film and TV production site, it has served as the backdrop for countless historical dramas and action blockbusters, such as Hero and The Empress of China. It now draws film buffs and curious tourists alike who want to step into the world of emperors, warriors, and palace intrigue.

Visa Policy Updates to Enhance Visitor Experience

This new visa-free move follows a trend. In recent years, China has been continuously expending its visa-free list to better accommodate the growing number of international visitors, offering longer stays, more entry ports and designated regions for further exploration across the country. Currently, China grants unilateral visa-free entry to 38 countries for stays of up to 30 days. In addition, it has extended the transit visa-free period to 240 hours, or 10 days, for travelers from 54 countries. During their 10-day stay, visitors are allowed to explore 24 cities within the designated areas, rather than being restricted to the city of their port entry. It’s all part of China’s push to make visiting the country more accessible and enjoyable—especially for first-time travelers.

Improving Travel Comfort with Facility Upgrades

According to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, China is optimizing every aspect of the inbound tourism process, from flight arrangements, hotel check-ins, payment, and sightseeing. The goal is to make sure foreign tourists enjoy the same level of convenience in accommodation, transportation, and shopping as domestic travelers.

As of late 2024:

• 42 airports, 41 airlines, and 12 ticketing platforms across China have upgraded their services, including multilingual support and faster currency exchange services.
• Shanghai has installed over 96,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals across commercial, cultural, and tourism sites, airports, and railway stations.
• Beijing has become the first city in Chinese mainland to support subway fare payments by Mastercard and Visa cards.
• Alipay and WeChat Pay now allow users to link their foreign credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and American Express) with the digital wallet to pay for everything from local specialties to bicycle rentals.

Different Lands, Shared Bonds

Guangzhou Port, in south China, launched its first direct shipping route to South America’s west coast, connecting the area to key ports in Peru, Mexico, and Chile on 29 April, 2025. The new route boosts logistics between the Greater Bay Area and Latin America. [Photo: VCG]

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum this year. President Xi noted that China and LAC countries are advancing hand in hand as a community with a shared future, and this community is founded upon equality, powered by mutual benefit and win-win, invigorated by openness and inclusiveness, and dedicated to the people’s well-being, exhibiting enduring vitality and holding immense promise.

China has become the second-largest trading partner of Latin America. Last year, trade between China and LAC countries exceeded $500 billion for the first time, an increase of over 40 times from the beginning of this century. To date, More than 20 LAC countries have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, with over 200 infrastructure projects carried out between China and LAC partners, strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, logistics, and energy. By the end of 2024, China had established approximately 180 sister-city partnerships with 17 countries in the region, fostering cultural, educational, business, and technical exchanges.

These deepening ties underscore a mutual commitment to progress and a shared future grounded in cooperation, mutual understanding, and enduring friendship. As for the visa-free policy, it’s a small stamp with big meaning, a new chapter in a partnership that’s just getting started.

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The post New Visa-Free Policy M=marks new chapter in China-LAC Ties appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2025. 8:49 am CST. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize
The post New Visa-Free Policy M=marks new chapter in China-LAC Ties appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.