China to simplify visa applications for US tourists as both countries seek to improve relations

China will simplify the visa application process for tourists from the United States as part of its efforts to step up interactions between people from the two countries.

Beijing has also been seeking to woo more international visitors as part of its wider efforts to boost its sluggish economic recovery.

Starting from January 1, those applying for tourist visas within the US will no longer need to submit proof they have a round-trip air ticket and hotel reservation, as well as their itinerary or a letter of invitation, according to a notice published on the website of the Chinese embassy in Washington on Friday.

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The measure aims to "further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States", it said.

It added that "since visa applications are processed on a case-by-case basis", applicants should still refer to the Chinese embassy and consulates-general for specifics.

The move follows a cut in visa fees for US applicants of around 25 per cent until December 31, 2024 announced earlier this month, and a previous decision to allow walk-in visa applications.

The announcement follows an agreement between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping at their summit in San Francisco in November to encourage educational, student, youth, cultural, sports and business exchanges as part of their broader efforts to stabilise relations between the two countries.

Observers on both sides had warned that the years-long, pandemic-induced hiatus in such interactions was fuelling mutual misunderstanding and suspicion.

Earlier, during US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo's trip to Beijing in August, the two sides agreed to hold their next Tourism Leadership Summit in China in the first half of 2024 "to further revive and develop tourism cooperation between the two countries".

During the Biden-Xi summit , the two presidents also agreed to increase the number of direct flights between the two countries in early 2024.

As of November, the number of direct flights between the two countries had reached 70 a week, but that is still well below the pre-Covid total of more than 300 a week.

During his trip to California, Xi told a dinner for US business leaders that China was ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to the country for exchanges and study in the next five years.

However, analysts have warned that it will not be easy to make this goal a reality and Beijing should foster a more open atmosphere if it wants to do so.

Washington issued a travel advisory in June that recommended US citizens "reconsider travel" to mainland China, citing the "arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions".

On Sunday state news agency Xinhua published a commentary to mark next year's 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which said: "The foundation of civil interactions [between the two countries] is still deep. Win-win cooperation between the two countries is not only possible but also necessary."

The US visa move comes amid a broader effort by China to attract more foreign visitors as the economy continues to struggle and international views of China take on a more negative tone.

Chinese embassies and consulates in other countries have also announced cuts in visa fees, while the number of countries whose citizens can make visa-free transits has risen to 54.

Last month Beijing said that visitors from six countries - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia - would not need a visa for stays of up to 15 days until November 30 next year.

Although China reopened its borders in January 2023 after three years of strict Covid controls, international visitors have still largely stayed away.

Chinese travel agencies handled 477,800 foreign tourists in the first six months of this year, only 5.6 per cent the figure for the same period in 2019, according to the Chinese tourism ministry.

Between April and October this year, the country's border control authorities processed 134 million entries, more than 30 per cent down on the same period four years ago, according to the official Economic Daily.

Analysts attributed the poor figures to the lasting damage from the pandemic as well as China's negative global image and loss of business confidence.

Some observers also warned that the slow return of international tourists would ultimately reduce the country's attractiveness to overseas investment and exacerbate geopolitical risks.

However, industry figures have warned that would-be travellers to China face other barriers besides the complex visa paperwork.

The Chinese tourism ministry said earlier this month it is working on a three-year action plan to provide more convenient services to help boost foreign tourism.

The central bank also said on Friday that regulators were looking at ways to address one major problem by making it easier to use foreign bank cards and payment apps in a society that is now largely cash-free.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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