China and Russia extended their mutual visa-free policy until December 31, 2027, to facilitate bilateral travel.

The policy allows citizens from both countries to travel for business, tourism, family visits, and transit without a visa for up to 30 days.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced the extension on Wednesday. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov also confirmed in Beijing on Wednesday that Russia will extend its visa-free policy for Chinese citizens.

"China is willing to work with Russia to improve the level of facilitation for personnel exchanges continuously," Guo said.

Flight searches for travel between the two nations jumped immediately following the announcement.

Data from travel agency Qunar showed that search volumes for flights from St Petersburg to China grew 85 percent within one hour.

Search volumes for flights from Vladivostok to Shanghai increased fourfold, while searches for the Vladivostok-Harbin route increased 11-fold.

The extension replaces the previous agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled to expire on September 14, 2026.

Top Chinese destinations for Russian travelers include Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Harbin.

Meanwhile, Moscow, Vladivostok, and St Petersburg remain the most popular Russian destinations for Chinese tourists.

In March 2026, Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced at the National People's Congress that China has implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 50 countries and established comprehensive mutual visa exemptions with 29 countries.

Wang noted that visa-free entries accounted for 73 percent of all foreign arrivals last year.

Official tourism numbers reflect growing bilateral traffic under these travel rules. Data from China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed that Russian visitor arrivals to China reached 982,000 in 2025.

Meanwhile, Chinese tourist trips to Russia reached 834,000 in 2025, making China the largest source of foreign tourists for Russia, according to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service.