Residents in London have welcomed the implementation of a visa-free arrangement for British passport holders to enter China after the measure officially came into force on Tuesday, with many saying it will make travel more attractive and convenient.
China's Foreign Ministry announced that starting Tuesday, ordinary passport holders from the UK will be eligible for visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days, for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit purposes, with the policy set to remain in effect until the end of this year.
The move followed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day official visit to China in January, which marked the first trip by a UK prime minister to the country in eight years, and saw the two sides pledging to strengthen bilateral ties.
The implementation date fittingly coincided with the arrival of the Chinese New Year and in London's Chinatown, celebrations for China's Spring Festival were in full swing, with the streets and businesses in the district adorning traditional decorations to welcome the Year of the Horse.
Residents say the visa-waiver will encourage more people to consider making the trip to China.
"Now with these visa changes, it just makes it more attractive, because you can spend longer there and spend more time there and just get more value for your money," a resident told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) .
"I think it's a really positive thing because getting the visa is quite a long and complicated process, and it meant that it was inaccessible to quite a lot of people. So it's a really positive thing for people who want to travel there," said another.
"I guess the biggest obstacle is the fact that it's a long way away. And it'll cost quite a lot of money, but I mean, to some extent, it will remove that obstacle," said another local in London.
China has been expanding its visa-waiver policies in recent years to facilitate greater travel convenience, boost international tourism and promote people-to-people exchanges, with the UK and Canada now being added to the growing list of countries eligible for the 30-day visa-free entry program.
In 2025, international visitors made over 82 million crossings into China, marking a more than 26 percent year-on-year increase. Over 73 percent of these international travelers benefited from China's visa exemption or visa-free transit policies, a 49.5 percent rise from the previous year, data from the National Immigration Administration showed.
Residents in London welcome China's expanding visa-free policy
