Hong Kong Projects 11.5 Million Cross-Border Trips During Christmas–New Year Peak
Christmas Weekend Transport Plan Boosts Capacity at Hong Kong–Mainland Checkpoints
UnionPay Debuts ‘Nihao China’ Super-App to Simplify Payments for Foreign Visitors
Latest News
Hainan Airlines Announces Global Route Expansion from Haikou for 2026
Hainan Airlines will operate new international routes from Haikou to London, Brussels, Jeddah, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur throughout 2026, capitalising on visa-free policies and rising post-pandemic demand. The additions boost China’s southern free-trade hub and offer corporates more direct links into Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN.
Addis Ababa Chinese Visa Centre to Launch Paid VIP Services on 29 December
China’s visa centre in Addis Ababa will roll out optional VIP packages on 29 December, offering queue-free submission, later hours and a staffed lounge for US$30. The paid service targets business travellers needing faster, more comfortable processing and comes amid a sharp rise in Ethiopia–China traffic.
Chinese Consulate in Kota Kinabalu Publishes 2026 Holiday Closure Schedule
China’s Kota Kinabalu consulate has released its 2026 public-holiday closure calendar, alerting visa and passport applicants to plan submissions around major shutdowns such as Spring Festival and National Day. Early booking is recommended to avoid processing backlogs.
10-Day Visa-Free Transit Drives 27 % Jump in Foreign Arrivals, NIA Data Show
China’s expanded 240-hour visa-free transit policy generated a 27 % rise in foreign arrivals over the past year, with more than 20 million travellers taking advantage of the 10-day waiver. The data confirm that the measure is boosting business travel, tourism and regional air hubs, while giving executives greater flexibility to enter China without a full visa. Companies must still manage compliance and regional restrictions, but officials are already considering lengthening the waiver further.
Chinese Embassy in India Launches Fully Online Visa Application System
Effective 22 December, Indian nationals can apply for all major categories of Chinese visas through a new online portal, reducing paperwork and halving embassy visits. The digital shift should accelerate business and tourism flows between the neighbours and signals a broader normalisation of post-pandemic, post-border-crisis mobility.
US Visa-Stamping Backlog Prompts Big Tech to Warn China-Born Staff Against Holiday Travel
Appointment backlogs of up to a year at US consulates have led Google and Apple to tell China-born staff not to travel internationally over the holidays. The situation threatens project timelines and underscores the need for proactive visa planning by HR and mobility teams.
China Southern Makes Perth–Guangzhou Route Permanent, Adding 85,800 Seats a Year
China Southern will operate Perth–Guangzhou flights year-round from April 2026, boosting seat capacity by almost 86,000 annually and strengthening Western Australia’s links to China’s Pearl River Delta. The move benefits mining, education, tourism and air-cargo sectors, while giving business travellers an alternative one-stop gateway to Europe.
Chinese Airlines Slash 48 Japan Routes, Cutting Capacity by More Than 50 %
Chinese airlines have axed 48 routes to Japan, cutting weekly capacity by more than half and severing direct links from 12 mainland cities. The move reflects soft demand and higher operating costs, and will complicate China–Japan business travel for the rest of the winter season.