Pacific World, the largest cruise ship operated by Japan-based Peace Boat, arrives at Shekou Cruise Homeport on March 23 with 1,500 international tourists on board. It was the first foreign cruise ship that arrived in Shenzhen since China announced the full resumption of international cruise ship transport to and from ports in the country in September 2023. File photo
China yesterday enacted a policy that allows the visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline. The policy is effective immediately.
Tourist groups — consisting of two or more foreigners and organized or received by Chinese travel agencies — can enter China without a travel visa if they arrive on cruise ships that dock at specific cruise ports. There are 13 Chinese port cities that the policy applies to, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Haikou, and Sanya, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA).
These tourists can stay in China for no more than 15 days. While in China, they can visit coastal provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and Beijing, according to an NIA statement. All tourist group members must travel together on the same cruise ship to the next port when exiting China.
Additionally, the NIA announced that seven cruise ports, namely Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beihai, have been designated as visa-free transit ports for tourists from 54 countries.
This policy will facilitate the transit and departure of foreign travelers from these ports via cruise ships under China's visa-free transit policy, the statement noted.
To make cruise entry and exit procedures more convenient, the NIA has introduced a range of measures focused on facilitating the clearance of foreign cruise passengers, crew landings, and cruise ship maintenance, among other services, according to Mao Xu, a senior NIA official.
Fiona Ma from Singapore-based travel agency EU Holidays said the policy offers a huge opportunity for Singaporean outbound travel planners like her. She is expecting more tourists from various countries to choose Singapore — a major hub for international cruise tours — as their starting point to explore China.
The policy represents China's latest efforts to honor its commitment to opening its market to the world and enhancing global exchanges, observers said.
By the end of early March, China had established reciprocal visa-exemption agreements with 157 countries, covering different types of passports. Meanwhile, China has reached agreements with 44 countries to simplify visa procedures.