7-12-2023 (SINGAPORE) Singapore and China revealed plans to establish a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement, marking a significant development in bilateral relations. The announcement was made during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting, the highest-level annual bilateral forum between the two nations, held at the Hilton Tianjin Eco-City hotel.
This historic JCBC meeting was co-chaired by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. The proposal for a 30-day mutual visa exemption comes amidst a positive trend in flight connectivity as both countries recover from the pandemic.
At the meeting’s commencement, Vice Premier Ding highlighted that the number of Chinese students studying in Singapore has surpassed 40,000, essentially returning to pre-pandemic levels. He expressed that the visa-free arrangement would enhance “people-to-people exchanges.”
Deputy Prime Minister Wong shared Singapore’s aspirations to exceed pre-pandemic levels in direct flight connectivity, stating, “This will be supported also by a mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement between our two countries, which will enable more people-to-people exchanges, thereby fortifying the bedrock of our bilateral relations.”
While specific details about the visa-free travel regime, including its commencement date and implementation, have not been disclosed, it represents a significant step in facilitating travel between the two nations.
Currently, Chinese citizens require a visa to enter Singapore. Singaporeans with ordinary passports can enter China without a visa for 15 days for various purposes such as business, sightseeing, visiting relatives, and transit. China reinstated this arrangement in July, more than three years after its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement follows the elevation of Singapore-China relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership” after Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s official visit to Beijing in March, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The JCBC serves as a platform to review substantive collaboration between Singapore and China and sets the course for future cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Wong, currently on a four-day official visit to Beijing and Tianjin, expressed anticipation for the signing of over 20 memoranda of understanding and agreements during the JCBC meeting, reflecting the depth and breadth of the bilateral partnership.
