On Sunday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Canadian visitors, whether tourists or businesspeople, will no longer need a visa for trips of up to 30 days, starting this Tuesday and extending until the end of 2026.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed this update via social media, indicating that the visa exemption stems from an agreement China made with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. She plans to visit Beijing in January.
“This will commence on February 17 and will facilitate travel, promote business interactions, and enhance connections between our peoples,” Anand said.
“For most Canadian travelers, getting into China has typically meant navigating a long application process along with a fee of around $140. Recently, China has eased visa requirements for other Western nations to encourage tourism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.” CBC News pointed out.
Travel was previously hindered by restrictions from both sides amid a prolonged freeze in diplomatic relations following Canada’s long-standing foreign policy issues. This includes the 2018 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei executive with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Meng was set to face financial crime charges in the U.S. When Canada was pressured to halt her extradition, several Canadians were detained by China in retaliation.
Meng was released in 2021 after the U.S. dropped the charges, but tensions between the two nations continued, partly due to reported Chinese interference in Canadian politics. In fact, Canadian intelligence agencies view China as one of the primary security threats, and Mr. Carney recently signed a significant trade agreement with China in an attempt to pivot away from U.S. influence.
China appears to be leveraging visa-free travel as a strategy to revive its tourism and business sectors post-pandemic, also aiming to sweeten trade negotiations. A similar arrangement was made with the U.K. last month, bringing the total number of countries enjoying visa-free travel with China to around 50.
The BBC noted that “Downing Street’s effort to reset relations with China is ignoring human rights and national security worries,” a sentiment echoed regarding Prime Minister Carney’s approach to deepen Canada’s ties with China, especially given the ongoing discussions around “values” at last month’s World Economic Forum meeting.
