China will offer greater visa-free access for foreigners to its southernmost province of Hainan, in its latest move to support the construction of the Hainan pilot free trade zone (FTZ) and a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.
Under the new policy, foreigners are allowed to enter Hainan visa-free for a wider range of purposes including business, visit, visiting relatives, medical treatment, exhibition and sports, said Qu Yunhai, deputy head of the National Immigration Administration, at a press conference held Wednesday.
Apart from the visa-free policy, China will also facilitate foreigners to work in Hainan and provide more convenience for inbound tourists on cruises and yachts, as well as foreign patients and their families.
Group and individual tourists from 59 countries, including Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and the United States have been given visa-free access to Hainan on condition that they would book their tours through travel agencies since May 1, 2018.
As of June 30, 447,000 foreign tourists visited Hainan visa-free, up 18.8 percent year on year. The province raked in 767 million U.S. dollars in foreign exchange earnings from tourism last year, up 12.7 percent.
A total of 35 overseas air routes were launched or resumed over the past year, enhancing the connections between Hainan and the world.
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