China Extends Visa-Free Travel to GCC Countries, Boosting Tourism and Business Ties

China announced on Wednesday it will introduce a one-year visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The new arrangement, set to take effect from June 9, 2025, through June 8, 2026, was confirmed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.

Under the policy, citizens from these four Gulf nations will be permitted to enter China without a visa for stays up to 30 days. The exemption covers travel for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges, and transit purposes, representing a major easing of entry requirements for visitors from the Middle East.

This latest move follows earlier visa waivers extended to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in 2018. With the addition of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now benefit from full visa-free access to China. The comprehensive visa-free coverage is expected to deepen ties between China and GCC countries, fostering greater economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges.

The policy comes at a time of growing engagement between China and the Gulf region, as both sides seek to expand cooperation in areas including trade, investment, and infrastructure development. Authorities anticipate that the visa-free measure will encourage increased business travel and tourism flows, contributing to strengthened bilateral relations across multiple sectors.