China Relaxes Visa Requirements For Certain Countries

Citizens from six countries including France, Germany, and Italy will no longer need a visa to visit China, according to Mao Ning, Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Authorities will allow two weeks visa-free travel to China as they seek to boost foreign exchanges and open to the outside world, Mao added. Zhou Weihong, a tourism expert, said the economy will benefit from increased consumption in transportation, catering and accommodation. Another analyst expected the value of China’s inbound tourism to increase as a percentage of GDP, which currently lags behind other major nations. (Source: Yicai)