South Korean exhibitors present their products at the 7th China International Import Expo in Shanghai on November 8, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Foreign business representatives at the ongoing 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai applauded on Friday the expansion of scope of the unilaterial visa-free policy issued by the Chinese government and said the move will facilitate business activities and people-to-people exchanges. 

In order to further promote personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, China has expanded the scope of the visa-free policy to more countries. It is implementing a trial visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from nine countries including Denmark, Finland, Norway and South Korea. Starting from Friday to December 31, 2025, ordinary passport holders from the corresponding countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on November 1.

So far, the number of countries that can enjoy China's unilateral visa-free policy has expanded to 29.

Simon Lichtenberg, Danish Chamber of Commerce in China's National Founding Chairman & Founder and CEO of Trayton Group said "it's very kind of China to do this," and shows a "big heart." 

The majority of the countries included in the policy this time are European countries, and Lichtenberg told the Global Times that this will "boost exchanges and understanding between Europe and China, which is very important."

"During COVID, exchanges between countries were interrupted, so understanding [of people] needs to be improved and revived," he said.

Executives that have business in China would previously have had to apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy in Copenhagen, Lichtenberg said, but now if they have something they need do in China, they can just go. For visitors, especially for business people, this is a very critical improvement, he said.

Juha Tuominen, chairman of FinnCham China Beijing, said that the Finnish business community welcomes this policy. "It will surely ease up business travel by Finnish companies and enhance Finnish business activities in China," said Tuominen.

An employee with South Korea's SK Group told the Global Times at the expo that China's visa-free policy will provide more opportunities for exchanges between citizens of both countries and facilitate personnel exchanges. SK Group has been working in the Chinese market for more than 30 years, in fields including energy and information and communications technology.

Soyi Park, assistant manager of the Korea International Trade Association, told the Global Times on Friday that getting a visa to China used to be complicated. "It would normally take one to two weeks for the application, but it's really simple now." She agreed that the policy will encourage more businesses from South Korea to come and invest in China.

The remarks were made in conjunction with the ongoing CIIE, which is now in its seventh year. A total of 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions are participating.

The CIIE provides a channel for foreign investors to communicate with the Chinese market and achieve win-win development, and it also reflects China's determination to continue opening-up to the outside world, the SK employee said.