On August 20, the National Immigration Administration announced that, starting August 20, 2026, citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam would be eligible for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy and 30-day visa-free entry to Hainan Island. This brings the number of countries covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy to 57, and the number eligible for visa-free entry to Hainan Island to 61.

The relaxation of visa requirements has helped boost inbound travel. According to the National Immigration Administration, 22.91 million foreign nationals entered China in the first half of this year, a 20.4% year-on-year increase, with nearly 80% entering visa-free.