https://www.scmp.com/rss/326969/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian China’s luxury hotel sector has unlocked new avenues for business growth, fuelled by a boom in inbound tourism and a growing number of foreign business travellers and holidaymakers who favour high-end accommodation. International tourists generally spend more than domestic ones, except for wealthy Chinese travellers. Most visa-free visitors to China are from developed countries with much higher living costs. Even spending at their usual levels, they would generate considerable revenue for... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347704/visa-free-travel-rising-foreign-visitors-boost-luxury-hotel-growth-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347704/visa-free-travel-rising-foreign-visitors-boost-luxury-hotel-growth-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China announced visa-free entry for Canadian and British nationals on February 17, allowing citizens of the two countries to cross the border and stay for up to 30 days with no more than a passport. The move was just the latest expansion of China’s visa-free policies, which have eased entry rules for citizens of dozens of nations over the past few years as part of an effort to boost tourism. Immigration officials now allow travellers from dozens of countries to stay without a visa for up to 10... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346504/here-are-5-ways-enter-china-without-visa-land-sea-or-air?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346504/here-are-5-ways-enter-china-without-visa-land-sea-or-air?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Chinese demand for overseas schooling, holidays and medical treatment has contributed to a persistent deficit in the country’s services trade, but signs of a tentative counter-current are emerging as a growing stream of foreign patients heads to China. The change – modest in scale but symbolically significant – comes as China, long the world’s manufacturing powerhouse, seeks to build strength in exporting high-value services. While patients in the United States or Europe may wait months to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343956/could-medical-care-help-cure-chinas-services-trade-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343956/could-medical-care-help-cure-chinas-services-trade-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee For Choi Yu-jin, a 31-year-old Seoul-based fashion designer, the perfect getaway requires three elements: value, spotless streetscapes and unforgettable flavours. And Shanghai, she says, delivers on all counts. Three visits since 2024, with a fourth planned for April, are testament to a city that is increasingly capturing the imagination – and wallets – of South Korean travellers, buoyed by visa-free access and a burgeoning reputation for cosmopolitan appeal. “Restaurants and streets were... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341851/chinas-visa-free-waivers-spark-korean-travel-boom-underpin-tourism-revival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341851/chinas-visa-free-waivers-spark-korean-travel-boom-underpin-tourism-revival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:30:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings During his state visit to Beijing in January, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that China had agreed to grant citizens of the United Kingdom visa-free entry for trips lasting up to 30 days. Only days before, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed that China had committed to exploring a similar deal for his country’s nationals. Over the past two years, Beijing has been steadily lowering visa requirements for inbound travellers – or removing them outright – to stimulate China’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341857/here-are-5-ways-enter-china-without-visa-land-sea-or-air?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341857/here-are-5-ways-enter-china-without-visa-land-sea-or-air?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun From ice castles in Harbin to ski resorts in Xinjiang and glaciers in Sichuan, China’s ice and snow destinations are seeing a sharp rise in foreign arrivals as the winter weather deepens, with visa rules easing and strong Southeast Asian demand driving triple-digit growth in inbound travel. Inbound bookings to China’s winter destinations have climbed close to 100 per cent year on year this season, with growth in Hebei province, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the Inner Mongolia... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339834/foreigners-flock-chinas-ice-and-snow-attractions-130-inbound-tourism-spike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339834/foreigners-flock-chinas-ice-and-snow-attractions-130-inbound-tourism-spike?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Frank Chen,Mandy Zuo Beijing and Tokyo’s war of words over Taiwan was expected to be bad news for Japanese businesses in China. Previous diplomatic flare-ups have brought waves of online vitriol, protests and boycotts. But at a Japanese-invested luxury department store in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, the outlet’s executives seemed largely unruffled. They are already well versed in riding out tense political situations. The billion-dollar project – which is operated by a major Japanese retail group – had a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335763/why-japanese-firms-china-are-unfazed-rising-tensions-weve-been-careful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335763/why-japanese-firms-china-are-unfazed-rising-tensions-weve-been-careful?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China’s top leadership has pledged to build an immigration system to lure foreign talent in a move that may help increase its competitiveness amid the ongoing technological competition with the United States. In the blueprint for the five-year plan that starts next year, Beijing said it would “establish an immigration system for hi-tech talent”, and “attract and cultivate outstanding talent from around the world”. The plans, released on Tuesday following a major policy meeting of the Communist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330788/china-pledges-immigration-system-hi-tech-talent-part-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330788/china-pledges-immigration-system-hi-tech-talent-part-new-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 11:00:32 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu As China drafts its 15th five-year plan – the next entry in a line of expansive blueprints that have set the tone for the country’s development over more than seven decades – we examine how these documents inform and reflect high-level policy priorities, what to expect in the coming iteration and how foreign investors are likely to be affected. For more stories in this ongoing series, click here. To view SCMP Plus Factsheets on the 15th five-year-plan and more premium content, click here. Sun... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328532/what-chinas-next-5-year-plan-means-foreign-investors-quantity-quality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328532/what-chinas-next-5-year-plan-means-foreign-investors-quantity-quality?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:00:19 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published on Tuesday, October 7 due to the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China. We will resume publication on Wednesday, October 8. China is stepping up efforts to recruit science and technology talent from overseas, including both fresh graduates and experienced researchers, as its seeks to develop self-sufficiency amid trade tensions with the United States. A new K visa is being rolled out to attract graduates in science, technology, engineering and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3328009/china-embraces-tech-talent-trump-closes-door?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3328009/china-embraces-tech-talent-trump-closes-door?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:00:49 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Competition, a struggling job market and immigration fears are fuelling criticism in China of the country’s new K visa programme, a scheme designed to attract foreign STEM talent. Unveiled in August and set to launch on Wednesday, the programme attracted an unexpected public backlash this week, with many voicing concerns about its potential impact on local employment and immigration. Public policy analysts said greater transparency, clearer messaging and strict oversight were needed to address... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327415/chinas-new-k-visa-meant-lure-foreign-stem-talent-instead-its-drawn-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327415/chinas-new-k-visa-meant-lure-foreign-stem-talent-instead-its-drawn-criticism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:00:12 +0000 Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Nora Mankel Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Nora Mankel This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. A part of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, Jane Cai, Sylvie Zhuang and Nora Mankel look at a shift under way in the attitudes of younger Europeans towards China and the opportunities it offers. More than two years after stringent Covid-19 restrictions prompted an exodus of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324879/enduring-opportunity-why-younger-europeans-can-see-their-futures-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324879/enduring-opportunity-why-younger-europeans-can-see-their-futures-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Rahdar Hussain Afridi, a Pakistani national studying for a PhD in robotics at Peking University, had been worried about whether he could stay on after graduating in January. He hopes to secure a job in China, but the recruitment process can take a while and his student visa, which might expire soon after graduation, does not come with a work permit. China’s newly introduced “young talent” K visa for STEM professionals has brought him “great relief”. “I am really happy to hear about this visa,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324525/will-chinas-new-visa-targeting-stem-talents-give-it-edge-over-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324525/will-chinas-new-visa-targeting-stem-talents-give-it-edge-over-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 02:00:09 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China’s Supreme People’s Court has released a series of court rulings to illustrate how a wide-ranging private sector law passed this year is safeguarding the rights and interests of entrepreneurs. “The release of these cases demonstrates how the courts are applying the law to safeguard the private economy... and aims to boost public confidence – particularly among private business owners,” the court said in a recent statement. The 12 rulings, drawn from courts at various levels across the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320840/chinas-top-court-showcases-how-landmark-private-sector-law-being-enforced?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320840/chinas-top-court-showcases-how-landmark-private-sector-law-being-enforced?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:00:20 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Restaurant industry leaders have defended Hong Kong’s labour importation scheme as a crucial “lifeline” for their struggling sector, arguing that it injects much-needed new blood and improves service standards rather than taking jobs from local workers. They also dismissed accusations that operators were using the scheme to hire cheap labour, insisting the total cost of employing an imported worker, including accommodation and medical expenses, was higher than for a local employee. Their backing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3319332/imported-workers-lifeline-struggling-hong-kong-restaurants-trade-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3319332/imported-workers-lifeline-struggling-hong-kong-restaurants-trade-chiefs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:25:24 +0000 June Xia June Xia China’s expansion of visa-free entry to nationals from dozens of countries appears to have yielded substantial results, with tourists arriving in droves from overseas and providing a much-needed boost to the country’s consumption in the first half of the year. Shanghai, the country’s financial hub, saw 2.6 million visits from abroad in the first six months of 2025, up 44.8 per cent year on year according to local authorities. About 1.4 million of them entered China under a visa-free policy, more... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317241/chinas-visa-free-policy-pays-dividends-overseas-entries-soar-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317241/chinas-visa-free-policy-pays-dividends-overseas-entries-soar-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:00:12 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China will grant 30 days’ visa-free entry to Russian passport holders for a year, starting from September 15, following a recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Its current visa-free entry programme covers 75 countries, including 46 under a unilateral visa exemption arrangement. Passport holders from these 46 countries can stay in China for up to 30 days without needing to apply for a visa. The latest countries to get this status... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313609/china-expands-visa-free-entry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3313609/china-expands-visa-free-entry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:57:08 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China extended its short-term stay visa exemption policy to four Persian Gulf countries on Wednesday, a day after a landmark summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Southeast Asian countries. Starting on June 9, passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain will be permitted to enter China without a visa, according to China’s foreign ministry. Citizens of these countries who intend to stay in China for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits or cultural... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312159/china-offers-visa-free-travel-4-gulf-countries-following-landmark-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312159/china-offers-visa-free-travel-4-gulf-countries-following-landmark-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 11:31:50 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A French-Moroccan mathematician was among a group of researchers Chinese President Xi Jinping met during a tour of an AI start-up hub in Shanghai on Tuesday in an apparent show of support for foreign entrepreneurs in the country. Hamza Boukili, an entrepreneur and maths teacher at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), was among those on hand for Xi’s trip to the SMC Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Centre, according to the Shanghai-based Shangguan Observer. The centre is one of China’s first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3308536/expat-talent-picture-xi-jinping-visits-shanghai-ai-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3308536/expat-talent-picture-xi-jinping-visits-shanghai-ai-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:12:11 +0000 US audiences were given a rare glimpse of Chinese-made electric vehicles and other hi-tech advances when a 20-year-old American influencer live-streamed his travels across China on YouTube. Darren Watkins Jnr’s IShowSpeed channel hit 38 million followers as he live streamed from Hong Kong on Friday. He had previously visited a number of mainland cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Chengdu. Watkins, who started his whirlwind tour on March 24, sat in the passenger seat for an EV test... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3305240/us-influencer-ishowspeeds-view-china-makes-him-accidental-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3305240/us-influencer-ishowspeeds-view-china-makes-him-accidental-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:02:07 +0000 China has been urged to introduce a retiree visa for foreign nationals to boost its elderly care industry and improve the country’s international image. Jia Qingguo, a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, submitted a proposal along these lines during its annual session earlier this month. He called for the early introduction of a conditional retirement visa available to foreign retirees, which would be valid for a period... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3304469/could-china-become-attractive-retirement-home-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3304469/could-china-become-attractive-retirement-home-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 11:00:08 +0000 IShowSpeed, a YouTube sensation from the US, is being hailed by Chinese government officials and state media as evidence of a growing desire for mutual understanding between Americans and Chinese amid escalating trade frictions. The 20-year-old influencer, with over 37 million YouTube followers, went viral after live-streaming his visits to Beijing and Shanghai non-stop for six hours in the two major cities. The online star, who hails from the midwestern state of Ohio and whose real name is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3304034/china-hails-us-youtube-star-who-racks-10-million-views-beijing-shanghai-streams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3304034/china-hails-us-youtube-star-who-racks-10-million-views-beijing-shanghai-streams?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:27:26 +0000 A total of 80 top executives from global multinational companies are set to gather in Beijing to discuss a range of economic issues later this month, as China launches a charm offensive to keep trade and investment flowing during a period of heightened global uncertainty. Executives from US companies will make up the largest group of attendees, with more than a dozen planning to attend the China Development Forum on March 22-24, according to an internal document seen by the Post. The leaders of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302871/80-global-executives-gather-beijing-key-annual-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302871/80-global-executives-gather-beijing-key-annual-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 22:00:22 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie More than two years after China’s stringent Covid-19 lockdowns triggered an exodus of international businesses and expatriates, the country’s high-end property market continues to suffer from falling rents, with analysts warning the downturn could persist for some time amid declining home prices. The average rent for flats in Beijing’s central business district, home to more than 118 multinational companies, declined as much as 17 per cent year on year in February to 11,385 yuan (US$1,750) per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301495/chinas-high-end-rental-market-struggles-post-covid-amid-dwindling-expats-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301495/chinas-high-end-rental-market-struggles-post-covid-amid-dwindling-expats-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:30:13 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Financial professionals with Islamic market experience and accountants can enjoy fast track immigration to Hong Kong from next month, as part of a wider government effort to address the local talent shortage. The Labour and Welfare Bureau on Tuesday added nine professions to the talent list, which now covers 60 types of jobs that the city needs most to foster a high-value-added and diversified economy. A spokesman for the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau said authorities hoped to further... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299207/hong-kong-puts-islamic-finance-experts-accountants-immigration-fast-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299207/hong-kong-puts-islamic-finance-experts-accountants-immigration-fast-track?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:19:19 +0000 China has approved a new action plan to stabilise foreign investment in 2025 as it aims to win over global executives concerned about being caught in the crossfire of an intensifying Sino-US trade war. At an executive meeting of the State Council chaired by Premier Li Qiang on Monday, China’s leaders pledged to create new incentives for foreign companies and equity investors. “We need to enhance support for foreign firms to reinvest in China, encourage overseas capital to undertake equity... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3298180/china-goes-all-out-keep-foreign-investors-onshore-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3298180/china-goes-all-out-keep-foreign-investors-onshore-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:30:08 +0000 China said it would allow tour groups from Asean countries to visit Xishuangbanna – an area in the southwestern province of Yunnan known for its ethnic minority cultures – without a visa for up to six days. The policy, announced by the National Immigration Administration on Monday, took effect immediately. The new measure applies to groups of two or more passport holders from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The bloc’s members are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298065/china-grants-asean-tour-groups-visa-free-access-yunnan-travel-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298065/china-grants-asean-tour-groups-visa-free-access-yunnan-travel-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:14:49 +0000 Hong Kong may require students to have lived in the city for a minimum period to be classified as “local” after some mainland Chinese professionals were accused of exploiting talent schemes to secure cheaper university tuition for their children. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Tuesday she would take reference from jurisdictions such as England and Singapore to potentially redefine local students, a category which determines eligibility for subsidised university... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3295699/hong-kong-may-require-minimum-stay-obtain-local-student-university-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3295699/hong-kong-may-require-minimum-stay-obtain-local-student-university-status?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jan 2025 13:44:52 +0000 Visa-free travel to China more than doubled last year from 2023, the latest data shows, with Beijing pledging to further ease its rules for foreign tourists. This comes after more than a year of travel policy easing, including short-term visa-free transit and unilateral visa-free entry schemes for dozens of countries. A total of 20.1 million foreign travellers gained visa-free entry in 2024, surging by 112.3 per cent from the previous year, according to National Immigration Administration (NIA)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294698/china-welcomed-20-million-visa-free-visitors-2024-more-tourism-incentives-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3294698/china-welcomed-20-million-visa-free-visitors-2024-more-tourism-incentives-way?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:12:03 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) will review its mechanism for reminding non-local students about submitting their visa details to the institution after finding more than 900 had failed to do so. The Immigration Department said on Friday it was seriously concerned about the matter, calling the 934 students involved a “significant” number. EdU said it would create a task force to review the mechanism for reminding students to submit visa information in a timely manner after a recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3294332/education-university-hong-kong-puts-non-local-students-notice-over-visas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3294332/education-university-hong-kong-puts-non-local-students-notice-over-visas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 23:30:08 +0000 South Koreans are making a beeline for China, especially top urban centres such as Shanghai, as overseas travellers take advantage of China’s visa exemptions. But localities may need to address common complaints to sustain the momentum. Shanghai appears to have become the new darling for Koreans on a weekend getaway to escape work stress and political turmoil at home, as they swarm the city’s glitzy streets and back alleys. Koreans, speaking their language and donning haircuts and outfits... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3293685/shanghai-draws-s-koreans-droves-chinas-visa-free-entry-entices-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3293685/shanghai-draws-s-koreans-droves-chinas-visa-free-entry-entices-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2025 03:39:25 +0000 Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Phoebe Zhang,Vanessa Cai Jane Cai,Sylvie Zhuang,Phoebe Zhang,Vanessa Cai China spent the past year opening its arms to foreign visitors in an effort to revive its sluggish economy and improve the country’s image internationally in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The easing of visa restrictions, and other measures, have helped drive an 86 per cent increase in visitor numbers in the first 11 months of the year compared with the same period in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration. But the 29 million trips from overseas recorded to the end of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3292903/chinas-efforts-bring-back-foreign-visitors-are-bearing-fruit-will-they-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3292903/chinas-efforts-bring-back-foreign-visitors-are-bearing-fruit-will-they-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:00:08 +0000 Zhou Xin Zhou Xin China has never been so open to foreign visitors: with its latest visa-free transit policy, passport holders from 54 countries can enter China via 60 ports, visit 24 provincial regions, and stay up to 10 days. This comes after Beijing freed citizens from 38 countries from applying for visas when travelling around the country for up to a month. It is worth noting that half of China’s territory is now open to citizens from developed economies. These include the nation’s most populous areas, its... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3291969/chinas-extended-visa-free-tourist-stays-drive-momentum-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3291969/chinas-extended-visa-free-tourist-stays-drive-momentum-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:00:08 +0000 China will now offer 10 days of visa-free transit for international travellers, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced on Tuesday. Passport holders from 54 nations – including Australia, Japan, the United States and countries throughout Europe – can now stay up to 10 days in certain areas of mainland China when transiting via one of the country’s 60 international ports, according to the NIA. The visa-free extension of stay, which has been open to 54 countries since November... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3291100/china-offers-10-day-visa-free-transit-all-international-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3291100/china-offers-10-day-visa-free-transit-all-international-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2024 02:08:42 +0000 China is facing a new and gradually building demographic dynamic – a decline in the number, and a shift in the nationalities, of expatriates in the country. As the number of expats from the West dwindles, they have been replaced to some extent with a growing number of expats from countries in the Global South. This changing mix has wider implications, not least for businesses in China itself and the West. Empirical studies show that migration and the presence of foreigners increases... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3290097/chinas-dwindling-western-expat-workforce-should-be-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3290097/chinas-dwindling-western-expat-workforce-should-be-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 The year ahead will be pivotal for an initiative that encourages young Americans to study in China as Beijing tries to ramp up people-to-people exchanges, according to a leading American business group. As ties between the two countries remain strained ahead of the imminent return of US president-elect Donald Trump, both countries have been urged to prioritise and expand partnerships at the university level for US students to study long-term in China, according to a report released by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290548/why-next-year-will-be-critical-chinas-efforts-attract-students-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3290548/why-next-year-will-be-critical-chinas-efforts-attract-students-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:11 +0000 China’s visa-free policy for visitors, introduced last year, is quickly becoming its largest visa liberalisation since the founding of the People’s Republic. Last week, it added nine more countries to the scheme, including Japan, taking the total to 38. Effective from the end of the month, travellers from Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia and Latvia can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days. This is a doubling of the 15 days the scheme granted... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3287806/chinas-visa-free-initiative-shows-it-choosing-openness-over-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3287806/chinas-visa-free-initiative-shows-it-choosing-openness-over-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 01:30:10 +0000 Fewer Westerners are working in major Chinese cities as high-paying jobs dry up amid slow economic growth, with living costs and China’s geopolitical tensions with the West also taking their toll. But some of those gaps are being filled by professionals from Southeast Asia, as foreign firms increasingly turn to local or regional talent. Census data shows that while more nationals from developed countries are leaving China, those from emerging markets are taking their place, although the total is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3286717/why-chinas-big-cities-are-losing-foreign-workers-even-post-covid-travel-picks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3286717/why-chinas-big-cities-are-losing-foreign-workers-even-post-covid-travel-picks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 03:00:13 +0000 For the pandemic years, China was effectively closed to foreign tourism, its tight controls on quarantine and isolation staunching the flow of visitors from abroad. These days China appears to be trying to make up for lost time as it seeks to revive still flagging visitor numbers and bolster international relations. Since Friday, nationals from South Korea, Norway, Finland, Slovakia and five other countries have 15 days’ visa-free entry for business, tourism, family visits or transit. China has... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3285855/china-feel-benefit-more-visa-free-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3285855/china-feel-benefit-more-visa-free-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:10:08 +0000 China announced on Friday it would let citizens of nine more countries – including nearby South Korea – enter its mainland without a visa, another expansion of a scheme to bring in more foreign tourists and bolster the economy. About 4.35 million Koreans visited in 2019, which analytics firm GlobalData ranks as China’s seventh-biggest cohort of offshore tourists. A visa to China can take days, cost well over US$100 and require pages of paperwork. The red tape has deterred some foreigners from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3285137/how-enter-mainland-china-visa-free-travellers-guide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3285137/how-enter-mainland-china-visa-free-travellers-guide?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:30:14 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma With just a year to go until Beijing’s self-imposed deadline to become an international hub of innovation, just 22,000 foreigners are living and working long term in the Chinese capital. The estimate, from a report compiled by the Beijing International Talent Exchange Association and released at a forum late last month, is well down on the 37,000 foreigners reportedly working in the city a decade ago. The report did not give comparisons for previous years, but it said fewer foreigners had taken... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284986/how-many-foreigners-work-chinese-capital-fewer-and-fewer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284986/how-many-foreigners-work-chinese-capital-fewer-and-fewer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Nov 2024 12:00:08 +0000 The social media post was angry, antagonistic and immediately went viral. Shared on X on September 21 – just days after a Japanese boy of 10 was stabbed to death in Shenzhen, China – the post claimed that 60 per cent of all crimes in Japan are committed by Chinese nationals. “A Chinese man robbed a woman in Japan and seriously injured her,” read the post by a user named MR. 486. “Chinese already account for three out of every five criminal offences in Japan. Do you think the Chinese should be... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281137/false-claims-chinese-crime-wave-japan-ignite-outrage-after-boys-stabbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3281137/false-claims-chinese-crime-wave-japan-ignite-outrage-after-boys-stabbing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:30:08 +0000 Beth Narain turns 78 in October and is relishing every moment that she has – to teach Pilates, dance to her favourite Motown, pop and classical tunes, spend time with friends, watch her favourite TV shows, and attend the ballet and live music performances. “I work every day – I’ve been teaching Pilates at Pure Fitness [in Hong Kong] for 18 years. I also teach privately,” says Narain, who was born in South Africa and moved to Hong Kong from London in 1966 at the age of 19. A ballet dancer, Narain... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3280065/how-positive-ageing-helps-you-age-well-lower-disease-risk-quicker-recoveries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3280065/how-positive-ageing-helps-you-age-well-lower-disease-risk-quicker-recoveries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2024 23:45:07 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification On September 18, a 10-year-old boy was fatally stabbed while on his way to a Japanese school in Shenzhen. This follows an incident in June: a Chinese woman, Hu Youping, died after being stabbed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3280017/why-china-should-do-more-curb-ultranationalism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3280017/why-china-should-do-more-curb-ultranationalism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2024 03:30:08 +0000 The fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old Japanese boy in the Chinese city of Shenzhen has ignited a wave of anger in Japan, with critics accusing Beijing of fostering anti-Japanese sentiment through its education system and state-controlled media. The boy was attacked on Wednesday while on his way to school, marking the second knife assault against a Japanese child in China in less than three months. Japanese editorials, analysts, and online commentators are placing the blame squarely on the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3279638/shenzhen-stabbing-boys-death-sparks-anger-japan-over-chinas-anti-japanese-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3279638/shenzhen-stabbing-boys-death-sparks-anger-japan-over-chinas-anti-japanese-education?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:31:04 +0000 Japan’s vice foreign minister will discuss the fatal stabbing of a schoolboy with Beijing on Monday, according to Tokyo’s foreign ministry. From Sunday to Tuesday, Japan’s state minister for foreign affairs Yoshifumi Tsuge will visit Beijing “to deal with the death of a child at Shenzhen Japanese School”, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. After the attack last week in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida demanded an explanation and urged China to ensure... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3279559/japan-sends-official-deal-fatal-stabbing-shenzhen-schoolboy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3279559/japan-sends-official-deal-fatal-stabbing-shenzhen-schoolboy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 04:22:54 +0000 A string of recent stabbing attacks on foreigners in China could fuel worries about personal safety in the country’s expatriate community, according to diplomatic observers, who say that more transparency from authorities will be crucial to ease fears and restore confidence in the country. The latest violence – in which a 10-year-old Japanese boy died on Thursday morning a day after he was stabbed in the southern city of Shenzhen – has renewed calls for Beijing to be more transparent in how it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279355/china-faces-calls-transparency-after-latest-stabbing-attack-sparks-safety-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279355/china-faces-calls-transparency-after-latest-stabbing-attack-sparks-safety-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:00:08 +0000 The man accused of stabbing a Japanese boy on the way to school in Shenzhen this week has a criminal record and no steady employment, according to police who have released more information about the suspect than is usual in similar cases in China. The suspect, a 44-year-old man surnamed Zhong, was reportedly detained by Dongguan police in 2015 for damaging public telecommunications facilities and released on bail, the state-owned Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported on Friday. The report said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3279346/man-accused-stabbing-japanese-boy-jobless-criminal-record-says-media-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3279346/man-accused-stabbing-japanese-boy-jobless-criminal-record-says-media-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:00:19 +0000 The fatal stabbing of a Japanese child in southern China is “an isolated case”, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Thursday as it vowed to “continue to take necessary measures” to ensure the safety of “all foreigners in China”. Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing expressed condolences to the victim’s family and would “provide all necessary help” to them. A 10-year-old Japanese child in Shenzhen – which has the fifth-biggest Japanese community in China – was confirmed dead on Thursday after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279090/consul-saddened-death-boy-after-knife-attack-urges-china-protect-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279090/consul-saddened-death-boy-after-knife-attack-urges-china-protect-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:09:23 +0000 China has officially cancelled the international adoption programme that allowed tens of thousands of Chinese orphans and abandoned children to find a new home overseas. Mao Ning, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, said on Thursday that in future Beijing would only allow foreign nationals who were relatives to adopt Chinese children. “Apart from the adoption of a child or stepchild from one’s collateral relatives by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship by foreigners... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3277488/china-officially-ends-adoption-scheme-foreign-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3277488/china-officially-ends-adoption-scheme-foreign-families?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:31:12 +0000