Driven by the optimization of the China-Russia visa-free policy and the expansion of round-trip flight capacity, the number of inbound and outbound Russian nationals at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport saw a significant surge in the first five months of this year, the latest data showed.
According to statistics from the Guangzhou Baiyun Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station, from January to May, the airport handled over 210,000 entry and exit trips by Russian nationals, marking a 110 percent year-on-year increase, and setting a new record for the period.
The unilateral visa-free policy is the primary driving force. China in May officially extended its visa-free policy for Russian citizens to Dec 31, 2027, significantly reducing the time and economic costs for Russian citizens traveling to China and stimulating enthusiasm for cross-border travel.
Data showed that in the first five months, the airport inspected over 100,000 visa-free entries by Russian nationals, accounting for 90 percent of the total Russian inbound travelers, with tourism and business stated as the main purposes of travel.
Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said that the Russia-China visa-free regime provides a tremendous opportunity to strengthen ties between the peoples of the two countries, and he invited Chinese people to visit Russia to enjoy its beautiful scenery.
