China's visa-free policy promotes air connectivity between China and Europe

Now China's visa-free policy continues to have a relaxing effect and demand for European travel to China is growing rapidly, leading airlines to accelerate the renewal and expansion of direct routes. On 22 November, China Hainan Airlines officially opened direct flights from Brussels to Chongqing. The industry generally believes that visa facilitation and route expansion form a virtuous circle that supports the overall acceleration of connectivity between China and the EU.

The Brussels-Chongqing route is the next international route from Belgium to China launched by Hainan Airlines after the Brussels-Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai routes. On 22 November, a ceremony for the first flight was held at Brussels International Airport.

In November this year, China announced that it would extend its visa-free policy for 45 countries, including France, Germany and Italy, until 31 December 2026. According to data from a number of online travel platforms, bookings for flights to China from countries such as France, Germany, Spain and Sweden rose rapidly following the announcement of the policy, reflecting the fact that the visa-free policy continues to unlock the potential for tourist travel to China.

CMG