China confirms visa-free travel for UK and Canadian nationals
5 days ago
- #Visa-free travel
- #UK-China relations
- #China
- China confirms visa-free travel for UK and Canadian nationals starting from 17 February.
- Visa-free entry is permitted for tourism, business, or family visits, valid until 31 December initially.
- The policy follows UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's visit to China, where travel rule relaxations were agreed.
- The move aligns UK and Canadian passport holders with 50 other countries, including France, Germany, and Japan.
- Around 620,000 British travelers could benefit from this change in 2024.
- Sir Keir emphasized the policy would help British businesses expand in China.
- Trade relations in services, healthcare, green tech, and finance were discussed, but no major trade deal was announced.
- The visit faced criticism over human rights and security concerns.
- A new Chinese embassy in London was approved, raising security concerns among opponents.