China plans to grant visa-free entry to New Zealanders, Premier Li Qiang announced during his official visit to New Zealand on June 13.
Currently, Chinese and New Zealand citizens are required to obtain a traditional visa to enter each other’s countries unless they possess an APEC business card, VisaGuide.World reports.
In addition to the unilateral visa-free policy for New Zealanders, Li, as cited by The Standart, said that China is willing to consider additional measures to ease two-way travel between the two countries. Meanwhile, New Zealand will promote Chinese language teaching and cultural exchanges through Confucius Institutes in the country.
Given our different national realities and stages of development, it is natural we don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But such differences should not become a chasm that blocks exchanges and cooperation.
The visit of Premier Li Qiang with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon resulted in several discussions and agreements related to trade, climate change, and human rights.
I raised with Premier Li a number of issues that are important to New Zealanders and which speak to our core values, including human rights and foreign interference.
Currently, New Zealanders Can Enter 148 Countries Visa-Free
As of June 24, New Zealand’s passport ranks as the world’s 30th most powerful passport, according to the VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that holders of such passports are entitled to travel visa-free to 148 countries and territories worldwide.
On the other hand, New Zealanders need a traditional visa to enter 20 other countries, including China.
China Updated Visa Requirements for Several Countries
Meanwhile, Chinese passport holders can travel without visas to only 50 countries while are required to obtain a visa to enter 116 other countries worldwide.
However, China has lifted and eased visa requirements for several countries in its efforts to boost tourism and trade, among other things.
In May 2024, the Chinese government extended visa-free entry for 12 European countries until the end of 2025. Countries that are exempted from visa requirements are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.
Under this policy, citizens of the above-mentioned can enter China for up to 15 days for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit purposes.
Moreover, as of May 15, 2024, China lifted visas for foreign tour groups entering the country through cruise ships. Under this policy, this category of tourists can travel to China visa-free for up to 15 days.
Those mentioned above and other visa policies introduced by China over recent months have resulted in an increased number of visitors. Moreover, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) anticipates that China will surpass pre-pandemic levels regarding tourism revenues.