Singapore & China Agree To 30-Day Mutual Visa-Free Arrangement
Singapore and China have agreed to grant 30-day mutual visa exemptions for citizens of both countries.
Announcing the agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong said the move would enable more “people-to-people exchanges”.
Source: 8world News on YouTube
It remains unclear when the new arrangement will start.
Singapore & China announce 30-day mutual visa-free arrangement on 7 Dec
According to Channel NewsAsia ( CNA), representatives from Singapore and China jointly announced the proposed arrangement on Thursday (7 Dec) during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC).
Source: Weibo
Mr Wong and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang co-chaired the meeting.
The new arrangement, Mr Wong noted, will allow for more “people-to-people exchanges”. In turn, this will strengthen the “bedrock” of both countries’ relations.
Chinese citizens currently require a visa to visit Singapore.
On the other hand, Singaporeans with ordinary passports can enter China for up to 15 days for the following reasons:
- Business
- Sightseeing
- Visiting relatives and friends
- In transit
Mr Wong expressed hope that the move will allow flights between both countries to reach or even exceed pre-pandemic levels, reported Lianhe Zaobao.
Details about the arrangement, such as the start date and how both countries will implement it, remain unclear.
The Straits Times (ST), citing Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that it will take place early next year.
Lawrence Wong & fellow Cabinet members in China for meeting
Mr Wong and several members of the Singapore Cabinet are currently in Tianjin, China for the 19th JCBC meeting.
The summit is significant as it’s the first to take place after Sino-Singapore relations were upgraded earlier in April.
Mr Wong said the ‘upgrade’ reflects both countries’ aspirations to set more ambitious goals for bilateral cooperation.
This year’s JCBC also coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Tianjin Eco-City project — a 30 sq km city development jointly developed by Singapore and China.
Mr Wong was reportedly involved in the development of Tianjin Eco-City during his previous tenure as national development minister.
He said it was “heartening” to see how the development has progressed over the past 15 years.
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Featured image adapted from Jay Ang on Unsplash and Ling Tang on Unsplash.
