In a headline initiative published on 24 October 2025, China confirmed that ordinary-passport holders from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay may enter the mainland visa-free for stays of up to 30 days between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026. Although the policy has been in effect since June, Beijing’s formal notice clarifies permitted activities—business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange and transit—and details compliance requirements (proof of onward ticket, accommodation address and medical insurance).
Strategic context: The Latin America waiver is the most ambitious unilateral opening Beijing has offered outside Eurasia. Two-way trade topped US$500 billion in 2024, and Chinese automakers and renewable-energy firms have been ramping up investment from São Paulo to Santiago. By removing the need for an L- or M-class visa, China lowers administrative hurdles for Latin American executives negotiating joint ventures, engineers commissioning EV plants, and buyers sourcing Chinese machinery at trade fairs such as the China-Latin America Expo in Zhuhai.
Operational impact: • Corporate travel teams should update global mobility handbooks to reflect the 30-day allowance; longer stays or work-related activities still require Z or R permits. • Airlines are expected to add seasonal capacity on routes such as São Paulo–Doha–Guangzhou and Buenos Aires–Madrid–Beijing, and Chinese tour operators anticipate a 60 percent jump in bookings during the 2026 Lunar New Year peak.
Political messaging: Analysts view the waiver as soft power ahead of the 2026 China–CELAC leaders’ meeting. It also answers U.S. tariffs and export-control pressure by deepening ties with the Southern Cone through people-to-people exchange.
Looking ahead: The policy is officially a 12-month trial, but sources at the National Immigration Administration say a positive utilisation rate (target: 300,000 arrivals) could see the waiver extended or converted into full bilateral agreements, mirroring China’s 2019 deal with the UAE.
Strategic context: The Latin America waiver is the most ambitious unilateral opening Beijing has offered outside Eurasia. Two-way trade topped US$500 billion in 2024, and Chinese automakers and renewable-energy firms have been ramping up investment from São Paulo to Santiago. By removing the need for an L- or M-class visa, China lowers administrative hurdles for Latin American executives negotiating joint ventures, engineers commissioning EV plants, and buyers sourcing Chinese machinery at trade fairs such as the China-Latin America Expo in Zhuhai.
Operational impact: • Corporate travel teams should update global mobility handbooks to reflect the 30-day allowance; longer stays or work-related activities still require Z or R permits. • Airlines are expected to add seasonal capacity on routes such as São Paulo–Doha–Guangzhou and Buenos Aires–Madrid–Beijing, and Chinese tour operators anticipate a 60 percent jump in bookings during the 2026 Lunar New Year peak.
Political messaging: Analysts view the waiver as soft power ahead of the 2026 China–CELAC leaders’ meeting. It also answers U.S. tariffs and export-control pressure by deepening ties with the Southern Cone through people-to-people exchange.
Looking ahead: The policy is officially a 12-month trial, but sources at the National Immigration Administration say a positive utilisation rate (target: 300,000 arrivals) could see the waiver extended or converted into full bilateral agreements, mirroring China’s 2019 deal with the UAE.
