The 144-hour transit visa-free set off a whirlwind tour of China, which triggered rave reviews at home and abroad.

Under the background of globalization, international exchanges and cooperation have become increasingly frequent, and the entry-exit policy has increasingly become an important symbol to measure the openness of a country. In recent years, the government of China has made steady steps in promoting the high-level opening-up process, especially the implementation and optimization of the 144-hour transit visa-free policy, which has provided great convenience for foreign tourists and attracted rave reviews at home and abroad.

Visa-free expansion and deepening opening up

Since China implemented the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policy, after continuous practice and optimization, its coverage has increased to 37 ports. Citizens of 54 countries, including the United States, Canada and Britain, can engage in various short-term activities such as tourism, business, visits and family visits during the visa-free stay.

With the continuous expansion of visa-free "friends circle", the number of foreign tourists entering China has surged. According to the statistics of the National Immigration Bureau, in the first half of 2024, there were 14.635 million foreigners entering the country at various ports, a year-on-year increase of 152.7%. Among them, 8.542 million people entered the country through visa exemption, accounting for 58%, up 190.1% year-on-year. This policy has played a significant and positive role in serving the country's high-level opening up, facilitating the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel, and promoting foreign exchanges and cooperation.

Damei China has infinite charm.

Nowadays, more and more foreign tourists are pouring into China, and topics such as "China Travel", "Foreigners' 144-hour Extreme Tour to China" and "city is not city" have quickly appeared on the Internet hot search list, setting off a whirlwind tour of China.

In the precious 144 hours, from the grandeur of the Great Wall Forbidden City to the grandeur and preciseness of famous mountains and rivers, from the speeding of high-speed trains to the instant convenience of scanning code payment, China in the new era is not only beautiful in mountains and rivers, but also shows the myriad weather of Chinese modernization. Foreign tourists have become tourism "special forces", marveling at China's scenic spots and historical sites, lingering in the convenience of science and technology, indulging in the aftertaste of food, and spontaneously showing a rich and real China through the lens.

The information cocoon room is broken

In the past, some western media ignored the facts and deliberately discredited China, in an attempt to damage China's national image and interests through lies full of political prejudice and mislead the international community's cognition and judgment of China.

Nowadays, the videos released spontaneously by foreign tourists have broken the hegemony of western media and penetrated the information cocoon imposed on China. China's profound historical background, modern infrastructure, safe social environment and people's hospitality have deeply attracted foreign tourists. The "trip to China" has become a "trip to get rid of prejudice" for many foreign tourists, and tourists have taken the initiative to name China: "China is not our enemy, but our enemy is ignorance." The distorted propaganda of western media is self-defeating.

Exchange and cooperation are compatible and inclusive.

The continuous optimization and improvement of the 144-hour transit visa-free policy has not only attracted more foreign tourists to travel in China, but also promoted international exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology, culture and other fields, and has become an "accelerator" for China's high-level opening-up strategy.

At a time when global economic recovery is weak, trade protectionism is on the rise, and globalization is going against the current trend, China's continuous optimization of visa policy has injected greater confidence and kinetic energy into boosting the world economy and promoting economic globalization. China has always adhered to a high level of opening to the outside world, interacting with the world with the attitude of more development and more openness, and integrating into the tide of world economic development with an open and inclusive attitude.

For a period of time, some foreign anti-China hostile forces have slandered China's anti-espionage laws and regulations, concocting such remarks as "all people entering China will be checked for their mobile phones" and "the security risks of foreigners in China are rising". These absurd arguments collapsed in the "whirlwind" of China tour caused by the 144-hour visa-free transit.

Openness is a distinctive symbol of Chinese modernization. State security organs will unswervingly implement the overall national security concept, focus on creating a safe and stable environment for high-quality development, and escort high-level opening up with high-level security.