Prime Minister Mark Carney has spent the past two days on a diplomatic mission in Beijing, marked by several high-level meetings, including a sit-down with President Xi Jinping.
Ottawa has described the visit as “historic,” as Canada looks to redefine its political and economic ties with the world’s second-largest economy after years of strained relations.
Carney stressed the need to accelerate partnerships in sectors such as energy, agricultural trade, security, and innovation.
Speaking to reporters, he also confirmed a major breakthrough on the issue of mobility between the two countries.
Canadians will soon be able to travel to China without a visa
“I’m very pleased to share that President Xi in our meeting today has committed to ensuring visa-free access for Canadians traveling to China,” Carney said.
The Prime Minister framed the development as part of a broader effort to deepen people-to-people ties between Canada and China. “People have always been at the core of this relationship,” he emphasized, noting the depth of existing ties.
Carney also highlighted the role of the Chinese diaspora and tourism: “Canada’s home to a Chinese diaspora of 2 million. Over 300,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada in 2024. China is Canada’s second largest source of tourism.”
He went on to underscore the potential of cultural and creative exchange: “That means museums, digital content creators, visual artists, and other creative professionals in our respective countries will have new opportunities to collaborate.”
Carney sees the initiative as a continuation of recent progress, including Beijing’s decision to restore Canada’s status as an approved destination for group travel: “We are building on this progress, looking to increase travel exchange and deepen our cultural ties.”
No specific date has yet been provided by Chinese authorities for when the visa exemption will take effect.
46 countries already eligible for 30-day visa-free stays in China
Once implemented, Canada will join 46 countries and territories whose citizens can stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa until December 31, 2026.
The current list includes:
- Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay.
