China has confirmed that citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom will be able to enter the country without a visa starting Tuesday, following announcements made earlier by the two countries’ leaders after separate official visits to Beijing. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney both travelled to Beijing in January, as part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with China and reduce reliance on what they described as an increasingly unpredictable United States. After meetings with senior Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, both leaders spoke positively about the outcomes of their talks, highlighting advances on several fronts, among them plans to allow visa-free travel for their citizens.
China’s foreign ministry formally confirmed the arrangement on Sunday, stating that Canadian and British nationals will be permitted to visit China without a visa from Tuesday, with the policy remaining in force until December 31. According to the ministry, holders of ordinary passports from both countries may enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchanges, or transit, for stays of up to 30 days. The ministry added that the move is intended to further promote people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.
