Starting from 17 February, nationals from the UK and Canada will be allowed to enter mainland China for up to 30 days without needing a visa. The Chinese foreign ministry announced that this visa-free entry applies to tourism, business, and visits to family or friends. This new policy will initially be in effect until 31 December. The decision follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to China last month, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to ease travel restrictions. Sir Keir mentioned that this agreement would help businesses grow in China, but some critics argue that the UK government's efforts to improve relations with Beijing ignore issues related to human rights and national security. In its announcement on Sunday, China’s foreign ministry stated that this initiative would “further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.” This change aligns the travel rules for UK and Canadian passport holders with those of 50 other nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan. According to the Office for National Statistics, around 620,000 British citizens are expected to travel to China in 2024, benefiting from this new policy. During his visit to China in January, Sir Keir noted that British businesses were eager for more opportunities to expand in the country. Xi and Sir Keir also discussed enhancing trade relations in sectors like services, healthcare, green technology, and finance, although no comprehensive free trade agreement was reached.
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