China grants visa-free entry to 75 countries: Is Turkey on the list?

China, which will grant visa-free entry for 30 days to citizens of 75 countries starting July 16, has excluded Turkey from this policy. European and Latin American countries have come to the forefront in China's post-pandemic tourism push.

Don't leave your news choices to an algorithm - decide for yourself what you read. Add 12punto to your preferred sources!

China grants visa-free entry to 75 countries: Is Turkey on the list?

The National Immigration Administration of China announced that, with a new regulation effective as of July 16, 2025,citizens of 75 countrieswill be grantedvisa-free entry for up to 30days.Theannouncement was made. China has expanded the visa exemption policy itlaunched in December 2023.

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and several Latin American countries were among those to benefitfrom the new policy. However, Turkeywas not included in the list of countriesgranted visa exemption.

TURKEY IS NOT ON THE LIST

Despite the long-standing tourism and economy-focused relations between China and Turkey, Turkish citizens will not be able to benefit from this visa facilitation. While the Chinese sidedid not provide any officialjustification,the exclusion ofTurkey from the listdrew attention. EUROPE AND LATIN

AMERICALATIN AMERICA PRIORITYREGIONS

The new visa exemption policy covers, in particular, European countries and somestates in Latin America. China, which previously granted15-day visa-free entry rights to some extended this right to countriesto 30 days.From the Middle East, onlycertain countries were granted visa-free travel,whichhas brought aboutallegations of regional discrimination.

Officials stated that the policywould be evaluated as a“one-year trial period” and couldbe made permanent basedon performance.

STRIVING TO HEAL PANDEMIC WOUNDS INTOURISM

China has launched a comprehensiveinitiative to revive its tourism sector,which suffered heavy lossesfollowing COVID-19.In 2024,the countryhastaken significant steps.In the first half of the year,it was announced that the number of foreign touristsentering the country without a visaexceeded20million.