China announced on Tuesday a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the period of stay for foreign travelers and expanding the list of accessible ports and provincial-level regions, in order to further promote openness and people-to-people exchanges.

12月17日，中國宣布全面放寬優化過境免簽政策，延長外國遊客的停留時間，並擴大省（區、市）入出境口岸名單，以進一步促進對外開放和人員往來。

Eligible travelers are permitted to stay in the country for up to 240 hours, or 10 days, the National Immigration Administration said.

國家移民管理局表示，符合條件的旅客最長可在中國停留240小時（10天）。

The period of stay was previously restricted to 72 or 144 hours.

先前的停留時間僅限於72或144小時。

The policy revision, effective immediately, also includes a substantial expansion of designated ports and travel regions, enhancing flexibility for international visitors.

立即生效的政策修訂還包括大幅擴大的指定口岸和停留活動區域，進一步為國際旅客提高了靈活性。

Eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region. These travelers can now enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provincial-level regions, up from 39 ports in 19 provincial-level regions, the NIA said.

國家移民管理局規定，符合條件的俄羅斯、巴西、英國、美國、加拿大等54國人員，從中國過境前往第三國（地區）時，可免簽來華。這些旅客現在可從24個省（區、市）60個對外開放口岸中任一口岸入境，而此前只有19個省（區、市）的39個口岸。

The 21 newly included ports are located in the provinces of Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Hunan, Hainan, Sichuan and Guizhou, and in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The five newly included provinces for visa-free transit stays are Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan and Guizhou.

新增的21個口岸位於山西、江蘇、浙江、安徽、福建、江西、山東、湖南、海南、四川、貴州以及廣西壯族自治區等地。新納入過境免簽政策的五個省份是山西、安徽、江西、海南和貴州。

China, which first implemented its visa-free transit policy in January 2013, has been improving it over the years. Mao Xu, deputy head of the NIA, said the 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit policy has been warmly welcomed both at home and abroad.

中國於2013年1月首次實施過境免簽政策，並多年來一直不斷完善該政策。國家移民管理局副局長毛旭表示，72/144小時過境免簽政策在境內外廣受歡迎，引發熱烈反響。

From January to November, the number of visa-free transit travelers surged by more than 130 percent year-on-year, Mao noted. When the maximum duration of visa-free transit stay was restricted to 144 hours, more than 80 percent of travelers did not leave China until the last few hours, he said.

毛旭介紹，從1月到11月，適用過境免簽政策來華外國人數量同比上升130%以上。原來過境免簽政策停留時間最長為144小時，80%以上人員臨近期限屆滿方離開。

"Many foreign friends hope they could spend more time traveling within China," Mao said, adding that the updated policy will allow them to explore more scenic places in the country as well as help them to get better acquainted with Chinese culture.

“有不少外國朋友希望有更充足的時間在中國境內旅遊”，毛旭表示，新政策將方便過境外國人更好地欣賞中華美景、體驗中華文化。

Anastasiia Shimko, from Russia, said the extension of visa-free transit stay will make China a more attractive destination for foreign travelers.

來自俄羅斯的Anastasiia Shimko說，延長過境免簽將使中國成為對外國遊客更具吸引力的目的地。

The 37-year-old, who is pursuing a doctoral degree at Beijing Language and Culture University, said the policy revision may also encourage her friends and family members in Russia to plan a stopover to China.

37歲的Shimko正在北京語言大學攻讀博士學位，她認為，政策的調整也可能鼓勵她在俄羅斯的朋友和家人計劃來中國進行中轉。

"When they plan a trip to a third country, they will perhaps choose to transfer in large Chinese cities, spend more time in China and understand the country better," she added.

她補充說：“當他們計劃去第三國旅行時，也許會選擇在中國的大城市轉機，在中國待更長的時間，更好地了解中國。”

In recent years, China has taken a series of steps to streamline its inbound travel. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday afternoon that China has reached full mutual visa exemption agreements with 26 countries, and adopted a unilateral visa-free policy for travelers from 38 countries.

近年來，中國采取了一系列措施簡化入境旅遊手續。12月17日下午，外交部發言人林劍表示，中國已經同26個國家達成了全面免簽，並對38個國家實行單方面免簽政策。

Liu Jia, deputy head of NIA's Department of Foreigner Management, said a notable feature of the new policy adjustment is the introduction of cross-regional travel, allowing foreign visitors to move freely across the designated areas of 24 specified provincial-level regions.

國家移民管理局外國人管理司副司長柳佳介紹，新政策調整的最大特點是允許跨區域通行，即過境免簽的外國人可以在24個省(區、市)停留活動區域內跨省域旅行。

The updated policy allows foreign travelers to better plan their itineraries and arrange flexible travel routes, enabling multicity tourism and business activities across various regions, he said.

柳佳表示，新政策便於外國人合理規劃行程，靈活安排旅行路線，跨省多地進行旅遊、商務等活動。

Liu noted that the visa-free transit policy now covers not only eastern regions of China, which boast stronger economic prowess and a higher level of opening-up, but also destinations in central and western regions that are popular and capable of offering good services.

柳佳指出，政策優化后，不僅覆蓋經濟實力較強、對外開放水平較高的東部省份，還將擴大到入境遊需求旺盛、管理服務基礎較好的中西部地區。

It will better serve China's major strategies to boost development of the central and western regions, "creating a comprehensive opening-up pattern of coordinated development between the inland and coastal regions and between the east and the west", he added.

柳佳補充，這將更好服務中部地區崛起、西部大開發等區域重大發展戰略，“助力形成陸海內外聯動、東西雙向互濟的全面開放格局”。

streamline

v. 簡化使效率更高

itinerary

n. 旅程；行程

visa-free policy

免簽政策