--- SEARCH ---
WEATHER
CHINA
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
CULTURE
GOVERNMENT
SCI-TECH
ENVIRONMENT
LIFE
PEOPLE
TRAVEL
WEEKLY REVIEW
Learning Chinese
Learn to Cook Chinese Dishes
Exchange Rates


Hot Links
China Development Gateway
Chinese Embassies


Japanese Granted Visa-free Visits

Starting September 1, Japanese businessmen and tourists will not require visas for brief visits to China.

As is now the case for tourists from Singapore and Brunei, Japanese visitors will be permitted to stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa.

"This new measure will promote bilateral contacts such as tourism and personnel exchanges between China and Japan," said Huang Xingyuan, counselor with the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

With a trade volume of US$101.91 billion last year, Japan has remained China's largest trade partner for the past 10 years while China has become Japan's second largest, behind the United States.

Official statistics indicate that 3.68 million Chinese and Japanese visited each other's country last year.

Over the years China has gradually loosened restrictions on Japanese visitors by simplifying the procedure for visa applications and providing access to long-term multi-entry visas. According to Huang, Japan has been pressing for the convenience of a visa-free option for short stays.

The new move was agreed upon during Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing's visit to Japan last week. It is seen as an effort by the Chinese government to lift the nation's tourism industry out of a relapse caused by SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in spring.

Japan has long been China's largest tourist provider, accounting for up to 20 percent of all international visitors in recent years.

In 2002, 2.9 million Japanese tourists visited China, up 23 percent from 2001 and hitting a record high, official figures show.

"In this case, the measure is an indication that China and Japan need each other," said Huang.

(China Daily August 22, 2003)

Japanese Granted Visa-free Visits
'Manchukuo' Lies Hurt Relations
Japanese Medical Team Arrives in Qiqihar
Yasukuni Shrine Visit Arouses Concern
58th Anniversary of JapanĀ“s Surrender Marked
Japan to Fund Environmental Protection Projects
Sino-Japanese Trade Ties Important to Both
Print This Page
|
Email This Page
About Us SiteMap Feedback
Copyright © China Internet Information Center. All Rights Reserved
E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-68326688