Russia ready to make visa-free regime with China permanent if Beijing agrees
Quick Look
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to work with China to make the visa-free regime between the two countries permanent if Beijing considers it possible and useful, noting that visa-free travel increased tourist flows by 43% in the first half of the year.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Russia and China have maintained a reciprocal visa-free regime allowing citizens of each country to visit the other for up to 30 days without a visa, initially introduced in late 2025 and extended through 2027.
BISHKEK, August 31. /TASS/. Russia is ready to work with China to make the visa-free regime between the two countries permanent if Beijing considers this possible and useful, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful," Putin said at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
He noted that visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the countries by 43% in the first half of the year.
On December 1, 2025, Putin signed a decree to enable Chinese citizens to enter Russia for up to 30 days without a visa until September 14, 2026 based on the principle of reciprocity. Previously, China introduced a similar visa-free regime for Russians. Subsequently, both parties extended the right to enter visa-free until the end of 2027. Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui previously said that the abolition of visas boosted the tourist flow from China to Russia by almost 1.5 times in the first quarter of 2026.
What to Watch
AI outlook β possibilities, not facts
China will agree to make the visa-free regime with Russia permanent
Possible Β· Within months
Open Questions
- What specific timeline is proposed for making the visa-free regime permanent?
- Are there any conditions or benchmarks China has set for agreeing to a permanent arrangement?
- How will border security and immigration controls be managed under a permanent visa-free regime?
