China welcomes more Russian visitors under visa-free policy: spokeswoman

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Friday extended a welcome to Russian visitors who can now travel to China visa-free.

Mao made the remarks at a press briefing in Beijing in response to a media inquiry about the possible extension of China's visa-free policy for Russian citizens.

China is currently implementing a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports, applicable to tourism, business, private visits, and transit, effective from Sept 15, 2025, to Sept 14, 2026.

"China attaches great importance to people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia, and we welcome more Russian friends to take advantage of the visa-free policy to visit China, take a look, and experience the beauty of China," Mao said.

Chinese American influencer Sherry Zhu has expressed her excitement after participating in a grand ceremony held in Huangling County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Sunday to pay homage to the Yellow Emperor, who is considered to have been the founder of the Chinese civilization and the common ancestor of all Chinese people.

Zhu, a Gen-Z content creator born and raised in New Jersey, has captured the attention of social media users worldwide with her viral TikTok series "Becoming Chinese," sparking widespread appreciation and reflection on Chinese culture.

Speaking about the ceremony, Zhu said it showcases the strength of that culture and the deep roots shared by Chinese people around the world.

"I'm truly blown away by the magnitude of this event. I got a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and a deeper meaning of hometown. I think that what's really beautiful and significant is that all of us, specifically like me and the people overseas, came together here to pay our respects to our grand ancestor, really just shows the strength of Chinese culture and the strength of our culture and our roots," she said.

The ceremony is traditionally held on Qingming, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, which falls on Sunday this year. During the Qingming holiday, Chinese people mourn their deceased family members and worship their ancestors.