China to allow visa-free travel for Russians in one-year trial

China will allow Russian citizens to visit without a visa for up to 30 days during a one-year trial period starting later this month, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday, Report informs via The Moscow Times.

"From September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026, a trial visa-free policy will be in effect for Russian citizens with regular passports," spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.

Russians will be able to enter China without a visa for business, tourism, family visits or educational exchanges, he said.

The announcement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the two leaders praised their growing partnership as a bulwark against the West.

Russia"s Association of Tour Operators said the relaxed rules could boost Russian tourism to China by up to 40%. More than 1 million Russians traveled there in the first half of 2025, up nearly a third from the previous year, making China their fifth-most visited destination, according to Russia"s border service.

Since lifting Covid-19 restrictions and reopening its borders in 2023, China has expanded visa-free entry to 75 countries.