China Has agreed to allow British citizens to enter the country without a visa for stays of up to 30 days Downing Street has confirmed.The announcement followed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing marking the first visit by a UK leader in eight years.
The move is expected to boost business and tourism ties between the two countries with officials estimating that hundreds of thousands of Britons could benefit. Around 620,000 British citizens traveled to China in 2024. The UK will now join more than 50 countries, including France Germany Japan and Australia whose citizens already enjoy visa free access.
Sir Keir said the change would support UK businesses looking to expand in China while making travel easier for holidaymakers.Talks also included a potential services agreement that could set legally binding rules for UK firms improve market access and allow recognition of professional qualifications.
During the visit China agreed to cut import taxes on UK whiskey from 10% to 5% and AstraZeneca announced plans to invest $15 billion in China by 2030.The leaders also discussed security cooperation, migration issues, and human rights concerns including Xinjiang and the imprisonment of activist Jimmy Lai.
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