Peskov: Russia and China to negotiate permanent visa‑free regime

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow and Beijing will hold talks on establishing a permanent visa‑free regime between the two countries.

Answering a question about whether Chinese President Xi Jinping supports a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peskov said Moscow and Beijing will discuss the matter and reach an agreement.

Background and leaders' exchange

At their meeting in Bishkek on 31 August, Putin said: "Russia is ready to cooperate with China for the visa‑free regime to become permanent, if Beijing considers that possible and useful."

As context, Russia introduced visa‑free entry for Chinese citizens in December 2025 for stays of up to 30 days on a reciprocity basis. China had earlier implemented a similar arrangement for Russian citizens, and the two countries later extended the visa‑free regime until the end of 2027.

Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui said that in the first half of this year the number of Chinese nationals visiting Russia for tourism doubled, a trend he linked to the abolition of visas.

Peskov's comments indicate that Moscow and Beijing intend to continue negotiations, but no concrete timeline for making the visa‑free arrangement permanent was announced.

Photo: press material from the event