"Following Europe, East Asia, and Latin America, Four Middle Eastern Countries Also Granted Visa-Free Entry"
Ordinary Passport Holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain
Exempt from Chinese Entry Visa for One Year Starting June 9
After successively exempting visa requirements for countries in Europe, East Asia, and Latin America, China has now decided to include four Middle Eastern countries in its visa-free entry list.
On May 28, Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced at a briefing that, starting from June 9 and for a period of one year, holders of ordinary passports from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain will be exempt from obtaining a visa to enter China.
China has successively exempted visa requirements for countries in Europe, East Asia, and Latin America, and now plans to include four Middle Eastern countries in its visa-free list. Getty Images
Ordinary passport holders from these four countries will not need a visa to visit China for up to 30 days for purposes such as business, travel, tourism, visiting relatives, exchange visits, or transit. Spokesperson Mao explained that, as a result, China has now extended visa-free entry to all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which consists of six countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
In 2018, China signed a comprehensive mutual visa exemption agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, both GCC member states, and the four additional countries announced on this day are also members of the GCC.
Mao Ning, Spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Official Weibo of the Spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In November 2023, China introduced a "unilateral visa exemption" policy allowing visa-free entry for five European countries?Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain?as well as Malaysia. In June of last year, China expanded its visa-free policy to include Australia and New Zealand, with whom it had previously had strained relations.
In early November last year, just before the U.S. presidential election, China announced plans to include South Korea and eight European countries in its visa exemption list. In mid-November, after Donald Trump’s victory was confirmed, China said it would add Japan and another eight European countries to the list. This month, five Latin American countries were also newly included in the visa exemption program.
Observers note that these successive measures by China are aimed at expanding its international influence under the banner of "genuine multilateralism." Some analysts suggest that China may be shifting its strategy from a "reciprocal diplomacy" approach to a "proactive opening," reaching out first even to U.S. allies.
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