China is temporarily granting visa-free entry to Russian citizens, Reuters reported.
The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that, on a trial basis, China will allow Russian nationals holding ordinary passports to enter without a visa.
The visa-free regime will be valid for one year starting September 15, with each stay limited to no more than 30 days.
Previously, Russians needed a visa to travel to China, except when visiting certain territories such as Hong Kong and Macau. Since 2023, Russia and China have also had an agreement on visa-free group travel and transit.
In July, The Washington Post reported that China had granted visa-free entry of up to 30 days to citizens of 74 countries in an effort to boost tourism, but Russians were not included in that list. Since 2023, German citizens have also been able to visit China without a visa.