BEIJING – China and Singapore are currently in discussions to establish a reciprocal agreement allowing 30 days of visa-free travel, aiming to enhance the flow of people between the two nations.
Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong confirmed the new 30-day visa-free travel arrangement during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting on Thursday.
Wong elaborated that the movement of people between Singapore and China has been improving and flights between the two countries have almost recovered to the pre-pandemic level.
“We hope to reach pre-pandemic levels and even exceed them on direct flight connectivity”, Wong highlighted.
On the other hand, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang noted during the meeting that the number of Chinese students studying in Singapore has exceeded 40,000.
The Vice Premier added that the visa-free arrangement would “provide greater convenience for people-to-people exchanges”.
As of now, there are no official details about the validity of the agreement or the eligibility for ordinary or diplomatic passports though the formalities would be chalked out soon.
The Singapore Prime Minister’s Office said in a media release that both sides are working out the operational details of the visa-free travel, with the aim of implementing the scheme in early 2024.
Interestingly, Singapore has a 15-day visa-free travel policy with China but Chinese citizens still need to apply for visas for traveling to Singapore.
Singapore, situated in Southeast Asia, is a dynamic island city-state with a population of approximately 5.7 million people. Renowned for its strategic location as a global business hub, it attracts numerous tourists annually, with over 14 million arrivals recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country offers diverse business opportunities across various industries due to its stable economy, advanced infrastructure, and pro-business policies. Known for its financial services, technology, biomedical sciences, and logistics sectors, Singapore provides a conducive environment for entrepreneurs and investors, fostering innovation and growth in a highly competitive global market.
