Putin Proposes "Permanent Visa-Free Access for China and Russia," Why Did the Foreign Ministry Refuse to Give a Clear Response?
During the SCO Summit, Putin publicly stated that if China deems it feasible and is willing, Russia is ready to transition the current temporary visa-free arrangement between China and Russia into a permanent one.
At today's regular press conference, a journalist raised this issue. In response, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the mutual visa exemption between China and Russia directly reflects the high level of strategic mutual trust between the two countries, facilitating personnel mobility and deepening cooperation.
There are many misinterpretations claiming this as "permanent visa-free access between China and Russia," which actually stems from a misunderstanding. Putin merely proposed transitioning the current system into a permanent arrangement—this does not mean permanent visa-free access.
It should be noted that the mutual visa exemption for ordinary passports between China and Russia, which allows 30 days of visa-free stay, was officially implemented in 2025 and has already been extended once, now set to last until the end of 2027.
In practical terms, the mutual visa exemption has significantly boosted personnel exchanges between China and Russia, benefiting both countries' tourism industries and commercial trade.
However, advancing a truly permanent visa-free regime is far from achievable simply due to friendly bilateral relations. To date, China’s mutual visa exemption policies for ordinary passports mostly follow a bilateral model with certain time limitations.
To establish a permanent visa-free system, complex bilateral negotiations must result in formal agreements covering issues such as border control management, cross-border information sharing, and data exchange—simply changing the validity period to “permanent” is insufficient.
This is precisely why the Foreign Ministry’s response remains highly cautious: while affirming the ongoing development of Sino-Russian relations and the positive impact of the current mutual visa exemption policy, it has not provided any clear signal toward making it permanent.
One thing is certain: regardless of how future negotiations unfold, increased people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia are an inevitable trend, and openness and communication are essential for fostering friendship.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875120199162952/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.