Singaporean officials announced an agreement with China for a 30-day mutual visa exemption policy that will be implemented in early 2024.

‌Key Points:

  • China resumed a 15-day visa exemption policy for Singaporean nationals earlier this year, and the two countries have been working to reach an agreement on a reciprocal policy.
  • Chinese travelers are currently required to apply for visas to visit Singapore.

Additional Information: The Singaporean foreign ministry said the two countries are also discussing upgrading the trade pact between them. The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement gives Singapore significant market access to China’s service sectors. According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore’s central bank and the people’s bank of China are also discussing starting a pilot program to allow travelers from both countries to use China’s e-CNY digital currency for tourism spending. Three-quarters of Singapore’s four million citizens and permanent residents are of Chinese ethnicity, and many speak Mandarin. In 2019, 3.6 million Chinese nationals visited Singapore, which resulted in $3.09 billion in tourism revenue.

BAL Analysis: The mutual visa exemption policy is intended to further facilitate cross-border travel and economic development between Singapore and China. The new agreements should strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and increase economic ties. BAL will continue following the implementation of these measures and will provide updates as information becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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