New visa exemption policy to boost business, tourism in Ningbo

Passengers at Ningbo Lishe International Airport. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

The new visa exemption policy recently announced by China is expected to boost business connections and facilitate tourism in Ningbo, a foreign trade hub in the nation.

China will expand the scope of its unilateral visa exemption for six countries, namely France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Starting from Dec 1, 2023, until Nov 30, 2024, citizens from these countries holding ordinary passports will be able to enter China without a visa for up to 15 days.

This visa exemption announcement holds particular importance for Ningbo, as these six countries are key trading partners for the city. According to Ningbo Customs statistics, the trade volume between Ningbo and Germany, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Italy, Spain, and France amounted to 36.74 billion yuan ($5.16 billion), 21.24 billion yuan, 21.17 billion yuan, 18.56 billion yuan, 16.85 billion yuan, and 16.69 billion yuan, respectively. Combined, these trading partnerships exceeded 130 billion yuan, accounting for around one-eighth of Ningbo's total import and export volume, which stood at 1.05 trillion yuan during the same period.

The visa exemption policy is projected to support the growth of business and trade by attracting more foreign nationals to China for business purposes.

The positive effects of the visa policy change are already being felt by companies in Ningbo. Yan Chenlu, business manager of Ningbo Dongen Precision Machinery Co Ltd, shared her experiences following the announcement. She recalled, "As soon as we heard the news about the visa exemption, we immediately shared it with an Italian customer. He was even more excited than us. He promptly decided to schedule a visit to Ningbo on Dec 4. He even exclaimed, 'We can't afford to miss such a remarkable chance!'"

Since the expansion of the visa exemption policy was unveiled, three different groups of European customers have reached out to Yan within a span of less than five days. They have all confirmed their intent to visit Ningbo visa-free in December. Eager to make the most of this opportunity, Yan plans to take her clients on a tour of the recently upgraded factory, along with treating them to Ningbo seafood and cuisine.