Recently, China announced a visa-free policy trial for ordinary passport holders from countries such as New Zealand, Australia, and Poland. According to reporters from the Baiyun Frontier Inspection Station, as the number of visa-free countries increases, in the first half of 2024 (up to 12:00 on June 30th), over 2.06 million foreign nationals have entered or exited via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, marking a 182.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these travelers, those from Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, and the United States were the top three, with noticeable increases also seen among visitors from New Zealand, Australia, and Poland.

Since the beginning of this year, Guangzhou has hosted a series of international events and competitions such as the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair and the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitation Tournament. Coupled with local festive tourism activities during Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival, these events have significantly stimulated the local economy. According to statistics from the Baiyun Frontier Inspection Station, the number of foreign visitors entering China via this port under visa-free policies for purposes such as business negotiations, cultural exchanges, and tourism has notably increased to 286,000, constituting 13.9% of all inbound foreign travelers.

Meanwhile, on overseas social media platforms, "China travel" has become a new hot topic. The 144-hour visa-free transit policy has greatly facilitated immersive experiences for foreign travelers visiting China. Around 6:00 PM on June 29th, British traveler Joe, upon successfully obtaining the 144-hour visa-free transit permit upon arrival in Guangzhou, gave a thumbs-up to the immigration police, saying, "This policy is very convenient, and the experience was excellent."

Reporters have learned that the current 144-hour visa-free transit policy applies to 54 countries. According to statistics, since the beginning of this year, over 5,000 foreign travelers have entered via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport port using the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. To facilitate efficient entry for travelers, the Baiyun Frontier Inspection Station has arranged immigration officers proficient in over ten languages including English, Indonesian, and Arabic. They actively assist and guide travelers from various countries through customs procedures.

It is reported that Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport port currently serves over 230 passenger destinations, with approximately 1,500 round-trip international and regional flights per week. In the second half of 2024, Baiyun Airport port will launch 17 new international and regional routes, including flights to Perth, Australia, and Belgrade, Serbia.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

免签“朋友圈”扩大，广州白云机场口岸出入境外籍人员数量再创新高

近日，中国宣布对新西兰、澳大利亚、波兰等国家持普通护照人员试行免签政策。记者从白云出入境边防检查站获悉，随着免签国家“朋友圈”不断扩大，2024年上半年（截至6月30日12时），已有超206万人次的外籍人员经由广州白云机场口岸出入境，同比增长182.1%。其中，来自马来西亚、韩国、美国的旅客数量位居前三，同时新西兰、澳大利亚、波兰等国家旅客也有所增长。

今年以来，第135届中国进出口商品交易会、广州国际龙舟邀请赛等国际活动和赛事相继在广州举办，加上本地丰富的新春、端午等节假日文旅活动，刺激带动效应明显。白云边检站统计数据显示，经由口岸享受免签政策来华进行商贸洽谈、文化交流、旅游观光的外籍旅客数量明显增加，达28.6万人次，占入境外籍旅客的13.9%。

与此同时，在海外社交网站，“China travel”成为新的流量密码。144小时过境免签政策为外籍旅客沉浸式体验中国游，提供了极大便利。6月29日18时许，入境抵穗的英国籍旅客Joe在成功申请办理144小时过境免签后，向移民管理警察竖起了大拇指：“这个政策非常方便，通关体验很好。”

记者了解到，当前144小时过境免办签证政策已覆盖54个国家。据统计，今年以来，已有5000余名外籍旅客采用144小时过境免签政策从白云机场口岸入境。为帮助广大旅客高效便捷入境，白云边检站安排英语、印尼语、阿拉伯语等十多个语种的外语专业民警上岗，积极协助、靠前引导各国旅客通关。

据悉，当前白云机场口岸的客运通航点达230余个，每周往返国际及地区的客运航班约1500架次。2024年下半年，广州白云机场口岸将陆续新开广州至澳大利亚珀斯、塞尔维亚贝尔格莱德等17条国际及地区新航线。

文｜记者 鄢敏 通讯员 周笑臣
图｜通讯员供图
翻译丨林佳岱