China tourist visa

[ChaoLong]

When will China issue tourist visas?

 

[bPeteb]

When the Chinese govt stops acting like a spoilt child. This reaction to a requirement for their travelers to be tested is hilarious. It hurts nothing but Chinese businesses and the Chinese economy.

 

[drcam]

Even without the current nonsense, there is absolutely no reason to visit China as a tourist in January, February or March. It's freezing cold anywhere north of Guangzhou, and even there the sun shines less than two hours a day. So there.

 

[Melburnian1]

Even without the current nonsense, there is absolutely no reason to visit China as a tourist in January, February or March. It's freezing cold anywhere north of Guangzhou, and even there the sun shines less than two hours a day. So there.

Some might well say 'never again will I visit mainland China', not just ruling out three months of each year.

 

[sjk]

Some might well say 'never again will I visit mainland China', not just ruling out three months of each year.

Some might not wish to say such glib nonsense about a country home to something like a fifth of the world’s population.

Some may also be able to distinguish between a government and the people with no other option whatsoever but to live under it.

Then again, some have perhaps already made up their mind.

 

[bPeteb]

Some might not wish to say such glib nonsense about a country home to something like a fifth of the world’s population.

Some may also be able to distinguish between a government and the people with no other option whatsoever but to live under it.

Then again, some have perhaps already made up their mind.

What an odd statement. What is the relevance of the size of the Chinese population or that the population of China's has no other option? As people who live outside of a China we do have a choice as to whether we travel to a country. Us visiting won't bring about regime change.

We had an amazing holiday in China a few years ago. Our first guide would not be drawn into any conversation on politics but our second was more willing. The concern expressed silently or verbally made it clear to us we would not visit China again unless there is major change. That might mean we don't ever visit again and that is a big shame. Amazing country and the vast majority beautiful people.

Just like we won't visit Russia for the same reason.

 

[drcam]

Being born in China which is where my entire family except my mother resides, I feel compelled to add my few yuan's worth here.

I have been unable to visit my extended family for the last 3+ years including my aunt who raised me before I came to Australia. I cannot get a family reunion visa because I no longer have any first degree relatives living in China - unless my mother, a Chinese national, decides to return there - and considering she had been house bound for three years due to fear of COVID (she is otherwisd healthy), I'm not betting my house on that. The only way I can visit my family is by getting a tourist visa. China does not give out long term visas for overseas former citizens like India does.

There will not be a "major change" there during our lifetimes. The CCP, for all its faults, has managed to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and built reasonable infrastructure, unlike in the USA where Congress perpetually blocks anything that the other party wants to achieve. Even if the Communist regime falls and a transition to "democracy" occurs, China will be effectively run by a one-party state, and probably a national conservative one based on fear and intolerance. The tiny number of educated, enlightened Chinese living overseas and the math prodigies and child violinists are simply not a representation of wider Chinese society, most of which have not completed high school, let alone have any ability in critical thinking.

And yes for me there is otherwise a long list of nations I will not visit due to politics, which I will not name. But I am still Chinese and I still have family there and I still have a moral obligation to visit my motherland. As far as if anyone else wants to go there it's their own choice. I will not advise them to either go or not go in spring, summer or autumn.

 

[RooFlyer]

Some might not wish to say such glib nonsense about a country home to something like a fifth of the world’s population.

Some may also be able to distinguish between a government and the people with no other option whatsoever but to live under it.

Then again, some have perhaps already made up their mind.

I'm also struggling to see the relevance of the proportion of the world's population to the argument.

I can distinguish between government and people - as I did when I visited Iran, and Russia several times. Iran was the biggest stereotype-breaking exercise of them all. But there are limits and China has the other charming habit of detaining Australian citizens there without trial.

So yes, I've made up my mind - China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and similar are all off my visit list now. I won't claim to be morally pure on this, but I can make a choice in respect of these murderous regimes. I'm sure they won't miss me.

 

[Happy Dude]

Even without the current nonsense, there is absolutely no reason to visit China as a tourist in January, February or March. It's freezing cold anywhere north of Guangzhou, and even there the sun shines less than two hours a day. So there.

How to identify yourself as a non-skier without saying you don't ski. Maybe they should move the Harbin Ice Festival to a more comfortable climate.

 

[ChaoLong]

I lived in China for 15 years and have many friends there. I have not been back for four years due to illness and Covid. I am very keen to get back there. Very aware of weather.

 

[henrus]

There is some talk but not 100% confirmed that the transit visa on arrival scheme has been reintroduced.

This is the only mention of it's return I can find (mentioned on another AFF thread as well)

China 144 Hour Visa Free Transit: Requirements, Application & Notes 2025

China 144 Hour Visa Free Transit here lists the most useful requirements, application, entry ports, tips for your long layover in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and over 20 Chinese cities.

www.chinadiscovery.com

If true it might be an option in the mean time whilst they're not issuing tourist visas. The China embassy in the US says the 24 hour transit visa has been reintroduced and to contact the relevant region about their longer transit visas.

This page here suggests that Beijing has resumed the 144 hour visas as well:

页面标题

页面描述

english.beijing.gov.cn

 

[Franky]

Being born in China which is where my entire family except my mother resides, I feel compelled to add my few yuan's worth here.

I have been unable to visit my extended family for the last 3+ years including my aunt who raised me before I came to Australia. I cannot get a family reunion visa because I no longer have any first degree relatives living in China - unless my mother, a Chinese national, decides to return there - and considering she had been house bound for three years due to fear of COVID (she is otherwisd healthy), I'm not betting my house on that. The only way I can visit my family is by getting a tourist visa. China does not give out long term visas for overseas former citizens like India does.

There will not be a "major change" there during our lifetimes. The CCP, for all its faults, has managed to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and built reasonable infrastructure, unlike in the USA where Congress perpetually blocks anything that the other party wants to achieve. Even if the Communist regime falls and a transition to "democracy" occurs, China will be effectively run by a one-party state, and probably a national conservative one based on fear and intolerance. The tiny number of educated, enlightened Chinese living overseas and the math prodigies and child violinists are simply not a representation of wider Chinese society, most of which have not completed high school, let alone have any ability in critical thinking.

And yes for me there is otherwise a long list of nations I will not visit due to politics, which I will not name. But I am still Chinese and I still have family there and I still have a moral obligation to visit my motherland. As far as if anyone else wants to go there it's their own choice. I will not advise them to either go or not go in spring, summer or autumn.

Good points made, apart from the irrelevent reference to something which might or might not be happening in the US...