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Yuanyue Dang

China has announced visa-free entry for Canadian and British nationals, leaving the United States as the only Five Eyes nation without this privilege.
The new policy takes effect on Tuesday and will remain in place until the end of the year, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Tuesday also marks the start of the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, China’s biggest annual celebration marked by large-scale travel and family reunions.
Announcing the move on Sunday, the ministry said passport holders from Canada and Britain may stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa for business trips, sightseeing, visiting friends and family, or exchange purposes.
This leaves US citizens as the only ones from the Five Eyes alliance – often seen as core representatives of the Western bloc – who still cannot enter China without a visa.
China granted visa-free access to New Zealand and Australia – the two remaining members – as far back as July 2024.
During the Joe Biden presidency, Washington spearheaded increased coordination within the alliance on security and human rights issues concerning China. This included criticisms of alleged Chinese espionage activities and issues relating to Hong Kong, drawing sharp condemnation from Beijing.
But President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda in his second term has strained US ties with multiple allies, with Five Eyes members beginning to reassess their relations with China.
The new visa rule comes close on the heels of visits to China by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.


Meeting Starmer in Beijing late last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a “new chapter” in ties while the British leader said relations were in a “strong place”.
Mutual trust should be the foundation of the relationship, Xi told Starmer, adding that “no matter how China develops and grows stronger, it will not pose a threat to other countries”.
Starmer – the first British prime minister to visit in eight years – acknowledged China’s global role while advocating for pragmatic collaboration despite differences.
“China is a vital player on the global stage and it’s vital to build a more sophisticated relationship where we identify opportunities to collaborate, but also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree,” Starmer said.
Meeting Carney on January 16 during his four-day visit, Xi said China was committed to “ensuring visa-free access for Canadians” as part of efforts to deepen people-to-people ties.
Agreements from Carney’s visit saw Canada lift its 100 per cent additional import tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, while China sharply reduced duties on Canadian canola.


Xi also called for establishing a new type of strategic partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests, while advocating for deepening and expanding economic cooperation.
In Beijing, Carney also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who stated that the two nations stood at a “new starting point” and should deepen collaboration to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade.
The new policy for Canada and Britain means the citizens of 79 countries can now enter China without a visa. Of these, 50 benefit from unilateral visa-free access granted by China, while the rest enjoy reciprocal arrangements.
China began expanding its visa-free policy in November 2023 to bring back foreign tourists and business travellers after nearly three years of strict Covid-19 controls.
The policy has fuelled a significant surge in inbound tourism.
According to data from the National Immigration Administration, China recorded 30.08 million visa-free entries in 2025, representing nearly three-quarters of all foreign arrivals and marking a nearly 50 per cent increase from 2024.


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China

Diplomacy

Move leaves US citizens as the only ones from the Five Eyes alliance who still cannot enter China without a visa


Move leaves US citizens as the only ones from the Five Eyes alliance who still cannot enter China without a visa.


China travel

China allows visa-free entry to British, Canadian nationals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Move leaves US citizens as the only ones from the Five Eyes alliance who still cannot enter China without a visa

Move leaves US citizens as the only ones from the Five Eyes alliance who still cannot enter China without a visa