China introduces ASEAN visa for 11 nations to boost tourism
China has officially launched the ASEAN visa, a special visa allowing businesspeople from the 10 ASEAN member countries, along with one observer country.
This includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, as well as Timor-Leste, an ASEAN observer country.
The ASEAN visa grants businesspeople multiple entries to China over a period of five years. Each stay can last up to 180 days and includes their spouses and children.
This programme is an augmentation of the visa exemption scheme that China has established in collaboration with some countries in the region, such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
Earlier, in November 2024, China introduced the Lan Chang–Mekong visa, which allows businesspeople from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to enter China under similar conditions.
To attract global tourists, China is continuously expanding free visa agreements with several countries. In the first quarter of this year, China had over 9 million international arrivals, an increase of more than 40% compared to the same period last year.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated at a press conference last week that this visa would further enhance cross-border travel within the region.
In recent years, he noted, China and ASEAN have continued to advance the development of a community with a shared future, making significant progress in fostering a peaceful, safe, secure, prosperous, beautiful, and harmonious home.
“Visits between the people of China and Southeast Asian countries have been frequent. There is a mutual hope to further ease travel between the two sides," Lin said.
