BEIJING – Australia and China have inked an agreement to facilitate travel between the two countries through multi-entry visas.
The development was confirmed as the Australian prime minister met Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and the premier, Li Qiang, in Beijing earlier this week.
In a joint statement, the governments of Australia and China welcomed ‘the contribution of people-to-people exchanges to the bilateral relationship, including the increasing exchanges of students, tourists and business people’ as well as the resumption of leader-level dialogues which came to a halt a few years ago.
The tension between the two countries erupted in 2020 when then Prime Minister Scott John Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19. The fresh visit seems to have repaired the fractured ties between the two countries, a visible vindication of which is the new visa regime being introduced.
“I’ve said consistently that we’ll cooperate where we can with China, we’ll disagree where we must, but we will engage in our national interest,” Australia’s prime minister told newsmen in Beijing.
Although details regarding the multi-entry visa are yet to be announced officiall, experts say travel between the two nations will open up under visas that last for three to five years. It bears mentioning that China has denied visas for permanent Australian foreign correspondents for over three years.
“The facilitation of exchanges, including the agreement to provide access to three to five year multi-entry visas for visitors and business people on a reciprocal basis,” the text of agreement reads.
Before Covid-19 disrupted travel plans, Chinese tourists in large numbers (approx 1.4 million/year) visited Australia, contributing billions of Dollars to the economy.
Besides easing the travel restrictions, the written agreement on political dialogue details that Australia and China will hold a foreign and strategic dialogue and an economic dialogue bringing ministers together for multiple subjects.
