Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

Japanese "panda fans" can easily embark on spontaneous trips to China with a "simple click," while young people in South Korea embrace the new trend of "Shanghai weekend getaways," the culturally rich and historic streets of Shanghai have become a must-visit destination for South Korean tourists. All these are examples of the fresh travel experiences brought about by China's visa-free policy. 

The visa-free policy acts as a catalyst, sparking a wave of interactions among the three countries.

The visa-free "circle of friends" has opened a new chapter in China-Japan-South Korea relations. The policy not only simplifies the complex visa application process but also allows citizens from the three countries to connect with each other more freely and frequently.

This wave of tourism has taken on a distinct character that features young people. 

"The foundation lies in people, the future lies in youths. This is true for China-Japan-South Korea trilateral cooperation," Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, to the Global Times. 

As highlighted in the Joint Declaration of the 9th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit, youth exchanges are "crucial in consolidating a long-term basis for trilateral cooperation." The rising proportion of young tourists from Japan and South Korea, combined with their growing interest in emerging fields such as the digital economy and anime, fosters mutual curiosity and understanding, and also strengthens relations between the three nations, Da added.

The "cultural circle" of the three countries, formed over thousands of years of history, provides them with a unique advantage in cross-cultural understanding. In 2018, the exchange of people among the three nations had already reached 30 million. Furthermore, during the 10th Trilateral Tourism Ministers' Meeting in September 2024, the three countries reached an agreement to expand the scale of personnel exchanges to 40 million by 2030.

Whether it's the spontaneous trips of "panda fans" or the popularity of Shanghai's old streets, it all shows young people want to see China with their own eyes.

A scholar told the Global Times that China's decision to adopt the visa-free policy is a successful diplomatic move. Many of his friends were among the first beneficiaries, traveling to China and praising the country for improving tourism services. If this visa-free policy is expanded, it will foster greater mutual trust, he added. Promoting peace, friendship and communication will strengthen regional cultural identity and a sense of belonging, further advancing cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea.

"If China, Japan and South Korea can enhance mutual trust and cooperation, this will help prevent external forces from exploiting frictions between the three countries," said Zhan Debin, director and professor of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.

In the tense context of global geopolitics, the positive trends of connectivity between China, Japan and South Korea serve as a vivid example. The significance of the visa-free policy has already transcended mere tourism; it represents a stance and an action, indicating that the three countries can resolve differences and create prosperity through deeper cultural exchanges.

Amid a complex and chaotic global situation, China, Japan and South Korea show the world through their concrete actions that peace and development are possible through communication, understanding and cooperation.