Photo: CCTV

China and Azerbaijan's mutual visa exemption agreement takes effect Wednesday, with the number of countries granted unilateral visa-free and transit visa-free access by China increasing to 47 and 55 respectively, according to CCTV News on Wednesday.

In the first half of the year, China facilitated 13.64 million foreign national entries visa-free, accounting for 71.2 percent of the total foreign entries, a year-on-year increase of 53.9 percent, according to the National Immigration Administration Wednesday.

In 2024, China recorded 20.12 million visa-free entries, an impressive 112.3 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, CCTV reported.

Regions in China have introduced a range of distinctive cultural and tourism programs rooted in their unique history and heritage. Beijing has launched six themed summer tour routes for inbound tourists, including cultural study trips, science exploration tours, and Olympic heritage visits, along with special foreign-language sessions at the Palace Museum. 

Shanghai has introduced 10 flagship events centered on summer vacations, family experiences, cultural tourism, and sports.

The mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Malaysia will take effect on Thursday, followed by the agreement between China and the Federated States of Micronesia, which will come into force on July 25, according to CCTV.

Global Times