China unveiled plans Wednesday to permit visa-free travel to its southern island of Hainan, as Beijing pushes international tourism to the tropical destination in another step to open up the region. The new rule will give Hainan less stringent visa requirements than in the rest of China, where travellers have to apply for visas through Chinese consulates abroad. The policy “embodies our resolve and approach to move one step further to opening to the outside world”, Qu said. On Monday, China announced it would allow Hainan to develop horse racing and explore opening new types of lotteries connected to sports and international competitions. Previously, some international visitors to the island could avoid China’s visa requirements if they were on a shorter trip and travelling as part of a tour group.

Source: The Guardian April 18, 2018 12:27 UTC