China will temporarily exempt citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia from needing visiting visas as it continues to boost the tourism industry after COVID. From December 1 this year to November 30 in 2024, citizens of those countries entering China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting for no more than 15 days, will not need a visa.

Earlier this month, China expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, in Beijing for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Premier Li Qiang, described the announcement as "excellent."

Germany's ambassador to China, Patricia Flor added: "This decision will facilitate travel to China for many German citizens to an unprecedented extent. We hope the Chinese government will implement the measures announced today for all EU member states."

Visa-free travel to Germany for Chinese nationals would only be possible if all members of the European Schengen Agreement approved, she said. 

China's aviation authority said in October that 16,680 weekly flights were expected from November through March, with passenger flights expected to reach 71 percent of the total before COVID.

The European Chamber of Commerce in China said the move would help boost business confidence. "It is a positive that the authorities are taking steps to facilitate people-to-people exchanges."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, after hosting the sixth meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges at Peking University in Beijing with his French counterpart Colonna, said Europe and China should work together and urged EU member states not to fear working with China because of competition.

"China's position is clear, we will adhere to our support of Europe's strategic autonomy," Wang said when asked about China's view of its relationship with Europe. "We will listen to the voices of European businesses, earnestly solve problems of foreign investors in China."

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China are facing trade issues with the EU, with some European officials wanting to reduce economic dependence on the world's second largest economy.

"Of course there will be competition in cooperation, but we should not be afraid of cooperation because of competition," Wang Yi added. "The biggest risk we need to get rid of is the uncertainty brought by broad politicization."

Wang said China maintains normal friendly relations with all countries.

"We believe that as long as China and Europe join hands, there will be no camp confrontation, there will be no world divisions and there will be no new Cold War," he said.

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