China grants visa-free entry to 5 Latin American nations

China began implementing a trial policy on Sunday that allows citizens of Latin American nations, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, to enter the country without a visa.

Holders of ordinary passports from these five countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The policy will remain in effect until May 31, 2026. The move is part of China's larger efforts to broaden visa-free access in accordance with its commitment to high-level opening.

This expansion means that China now offers unilateral visa-free entry to 43 countries, according to the media outlet.

Economic relations between China and Latin America have also grown significantly, with bilateral trade doubling over the last decade and exceeding 500 billion US dollars in 2024.

In late May, China announced that citizens of four Gulf countries—Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—will also benefit from visa-free entry for up to 30 days from June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026.

Moreover, China has extended its visa-free transit period to 240 hours for travelers from 54 countries.