China confirms visa exemption for UK and Canadian citizens

From February 17th, UK and Canadian citizens will be able to travel to mainland China for up to 30 days without a visa.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that visa-free entry will be permitted for tourism, business or visits to family and friends, and that the measure should initially remain in force until December 31.

The move comes in the wake of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official visit to China last month, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to relax travel rules.

Keir Starmer said the deal would make it easier for companies to expand into China, although critics say Downing Street’s move to reset relations with Beijing ignores human rights and national security concerns.

In announcing the policy’s start date on Sunday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the program will “further facilitate exchanges between the people of China and other countries.”

The measure aligns the rules for UK and Canadian passport holders with those of 50 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons could benefit from the move, with around 620,000 traveling to China in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.

During his official visit to China in January, Keir Starmer said that British companies were “crying out for ways to expand their presence in China”.

Xi and Keir also agreed to deepen trade relations in services, healthcare, green technology and finance – although no comprehensive free trade agreement has been announced.

The visit, the first by a British prime minister since Theresa May in 2018, was criticized by some opposition figures.

Shortly before leaving for China, Keir Starmer’s government approved plans for a major new Chinese embassy in central London, despite opponents claiming it could be used as a base for espionage and pose security risks.

Originally published by BBC News

Por Adam Goldsmith