China introduces a new “ASEAN Visa” for business travelers from 10 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. This visa allows multiple entries over 5 years, with each stay lasting up to 180 days. No new visa applications are needed.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced this on Tuesday. The new measure covers business travelers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, as well as Timor-Leste.
Businesspeople who meet the requirements, along with their spouses and children, can apply for the ASEAN Visa. This makes traveling across borders much easier.
Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the ASEAN Visa aims to promote cross-border exchanges between Chinese citizens and Southeast Asia. China wants to open up and make it easier for people to travel between countries.
This new visa adds to China’s existing visa-free agreements with some ASEAN countries, like Singapore. Malaysia and Thailand also have visa-free travel to China.
In late 2024, China launched the Lancang-Mekong Visa for business travelers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. This visa allows multiple entries over 5 years. China has also expanded its visa-free travel to several countries worldwide, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.
In the first quarter of this year, China saw over 9 million foreign tourists, a 40% increase from the same period last year.
Source: channelnewsasia