China’s effort to reinvent itself as an easy, short-haul destination for global travellers appears to be paying off. In a travel-sector briefing published on 8 November 2025, defence-and-technology outlet SSBCrack News collated the latest National Immigration Administration (NIA) statistics showing that citizens from 75 countries can now enter the mainland completely visa-free for up to 30 days, depending on nationality. That figure stood at only three countries before the pandemic and at 38 as recently as the start of 2025.
The unilateral waiver scheme – which sits on top of dozens of reciprocal visa-exemption treaties – has transformed arrival numbers. The NIA reports more than 20 million visa-free arrivals in 2024, almost one-third of total foreign entries and more than double the 2023 tally. Early-Q4 2025 data suggest the growth curve is steepening: bookings handled by leading OTAs show triple-digit percentage increases from South Korea (+150 %), Australia (+120 %) and much of Southeast Asia.
![Record inbound bounce as China’s visa-free list hits 75 countries]()
Behind the scenes, Beijing has used the visa-free drive to project soft power and repair strained diplomatic ties. European business associations – traditionally vocal critics of market-access hurdles – have welcomed the policy, calling it “a concrete confidence-builder”. Airlines have responded by relaunching dormant routes: Qantas reinstated its Sydney–Shanghai service in October, while Finnair will add a second daily Helsinki–Beijing rotation from December.
Corporate mobility managers should note several caveats. Visa-free entrants cannot work, study or perform paid journalism; violations risk blacklisting. Waivers for most nationalities expire on 31 December 2025 (or mid-2026 for selected regions) unless formally extended. Companies with large short-term project teams are therefore advised to keep standard M- or Z-visa contingency plans in place.
Still, the headline numbers are hard to ignore. Trip.com Group reports that searches for “China visa-free” have surpassed searches for “Schengen ETIAS” for the first time, indicating that the mainland is now perceived as comparably accessible to much of Europe. With agencies predicting 180-200 million inbound travellers in 2026 – roughly 90 % of the pre-COVID peak – China’s bet on aggressive visa liberalisation looks increasingly well-judged.
The unilateral waiver scheme – which sits on top of dozens of reciprocal visa-exemption treaties – has transformed arrival numbers. The NIA reports more than 20 million visa-free arrivals in 2024, almost one-third of total foreign entries and more than double the 2023 tally. Early-Q4 2025 data suggest the growth curve is steepening: bookings handled by leading OTAs show triple-digit percentage increases from South Korea (+150 %), Australia (+120 %) and much of Southeast Asia.
Behind the scenes, Beijing has used the visa-free drive to project soft power and repair strained diplomatic ties. European business associations – traditionally vocal critics of market-access hurdles – have welcomed the policy, calling it “a concrete confidence-builder”. Airlines have responded by relaunching dormant routes: Qantas reinstated its Sydney–Shanghai service in October, while Finnair will add a second daily Helsinki–Beijing rotation from December.
Corporate mobility managers should note several caveats. Visa-free entrants cannot work, study or perform paid journalism; violations risk blacklisting. Waivers for most nationalities expire on 31 December 2025 (or mid-2026 for selected regions) unless formally extended. Companies with large short-term project teams are therefore advised to keep standard M- or Z-visa contingency plans in place.
Still, the headline numbers are hard to ignore. Trip.com Group reports that searches for “China visa-free” have surpassed searches for “Schengen ETIAS” for the first time, indicating that the mainland is now perceived as comparably accessible to much of Europe. With agencies predicting 180-200 million inbound travellers in 2026 – roughly 90 % of the pre-COVID peak – China’s bet on aggressive visa liberalisation looks increasingly well-judged.
