China extends visa exemptions until 2025

This week, during a state visit to Paris, President Xi Jinping announced the extension of visa exemptions for citizens holding ordinary passports from 12 countries until December 31, 2025. The countries included are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland. This policy allows these nationals to visit China for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives, or transit for up to 15 days without a visa. However, citizens from Portugal, a historic diplomatic partner of China, are yet to be included in the visa-free scheme, which has led to complaints from Lisbon.