China will extend its visa-free entry policy for 45 countries including France, Germany and Spain to 31 December, 2026 and expand the scheme to cover Sweden, effective 10 November, the foreign ministry said on Monday.
The extension covers 32 European countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and several nations in South America and the Gulf region, a statement released by the foreign ministry's consular affairs department showed.
The policy was scheduled to expire at the end of this year for many of the countries.
China has offered visa-free entry to citizens from dozens of countries in recent years as part of efforts to woo foreign visitors, revive a tourism sector battered by years of strict COVID-19 controls, and boost foreign engagement.
The United States, Canada and Britain are not part of the scheme.
Under it, visitors from eligible countries can enter China for business, tourism, family visits, or transit for up to 30 days without a visa.
China is also expanding its outreach to the European Union, a key trading partner, at a time of fraught trade ties.
Beijing confirmed that its one-year suspension of expanded rare earth export controls, announced after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in South Korea last week, will also apply to the European Union, the bloc said after officials met in Brussels last week to alleviate tensions.
The two sides agreed to continue communication and exchanges to promote the stability and smooth operation of China-EU industrial and supply chains, Beijing's commerce ministry said on Monday.
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Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
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Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
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