Russia Offers Permanent Visa-Free Access to China
Putin told Xi Jinping of readiness to introduce permanent visa-free regime for Chinese. Russia is ready to introduce visa-free regime with China on permanent basis.
Consensus
- Russia and China are discussing making their bilateral visa-free travel regime permanent.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the idea during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit in Bishkkek.
- The current visa-free regime for citizens of both countries is set to last until the end of 2027.
- The proposal depends on China's assessment of whether the permanent regime would be beneficial.
- The visa-free arrangement has led to a 43% increase in tourism between the two countries in the first half of 2026.
Points of divergence
- China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Russia in tourism, investment, culture, and education, and opposes attempts to challenge the outcomes of World War II. — tg_rian_ru
- Russia is interested in participating in the development of China's wide-body aircraft project and is ready to supply components such as composite wings and heavy engines. — interfax
- China is committed to raising bilateral trade and economic ties to a new level and expressed willingness to help Russia and Ukraine reach a peaceful resolution. — vm
- The visa-free regime was initially introduced by a presidential decree in Russia on December 1, 2025, and later extended by both countries to the end of 2027. — fontanka
- China introduced the visa-free regime for Russians in September 2025. — meduza
- Putin signed a decree on December 1, 2025 to allow visa-free entry for Chinese citizens until September 14, 2026. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
Coverage (20 sources)
- Cooperation between Russia and China yields results under the leadership of Putin and Xi Jinping, said vice-premier of the State Council of China. — РИА Новости (Telegram)
- Russia ready to cooperate with China on wide-body aircraft — Интерфакс
- China will take measures to bring economic ties with Russia to a new height — Вечерняя Москва
- Peskov: Moscow and Beijing will work out the issue of permanent visa-free travel between the countries — Вечерняя Москва
- Moscow and Beijing will work out the issue of converting the visa-free regime to an indefinite basis — Фонтанка
- Russia and China may introduce visa-free regime on a permanent basis — Вести
- Russia ready to convert visa-free regime with China to permanent basis, if Beijing deems it useful, Putin said. — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Russia ready to convert visa-free regime with China to permanent basis, if Beijing deems it useful, Putin said. — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Putin proposed making visa-free regime with China permanent — 'if Chinese side deems it useful' — Meduza
- Ministry of Economic Development: China will seriously consider extending visa-free regime with Russia — Вести
- Putin told Xi Jinping of readiness to introduce permanent visa-free regime for Chinese — The Moscow Times
- Putin: Cooperation between Russia and China is successfully developing in all directions — Ведомости
- Putin allowed visa-free travel between Russia and China to be made permanent — Фонтанка
- Russia ready to make visa-free regime with China permanent — Настоящее Время
- Putin stated that Russia is ready for joint work on converting visa-free travel with the PRC to a permanent basis — Интерфакс
- Russia ready to make visa-free regime with China permanent — Дождь (Telegram)
- Putin: Russia ready to work on converting visa-free regime with China to permanent basis — Вечерняя Москва
- Putin at meeting with Xi Jinping proposed making visa-free travel with China permanent — Коммерсантъ
- Russia ready to make visa-free regime with China permanent — Дождь
- Putin allowed transition to permanent visa-free regime with China — Ведомости
Key entities
- Russia
- China
- Putin
- China
- Xi Jinping
- Beijing
- Moscow
- Bishkek
- TASS
- SCO
- Dmitry Peskov
- State Council
- INTERFAX.RU
- Kremlin
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