China has simplified visa obtainment for tourists from the United States
China has reduced the number of documents required for a visa for American tourists since January 1. This was reported on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
Applicants for a tourist visa to the United States will no longer be required to submit airline reservations, hotel reservations, or a letter of invitation. This is China's latest move to revive tourism and boost the development of the world's second largest economy after the COVID-19 pandemic downturn, MailOnline reports.
Earlier, Beijing allowed passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia to visit the country without visas starting December 1.
The visa-free regime will last for 12 months, during which tourists from these six countries will be able to visit China for up to 15 days. In November, China also expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries. The number of inbound tourists to the country plummeted during the pandemic due to strict COVID control policies.
The number of international flights to China has increased since Beijing lifted COVID-related restrictions a year ago, but is still only 60% of the 2019 level.