China has agreed to allow British citizens to travel to the country for up to 30 days without a visa, Downing Street announced.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, becoming the first British leader to visit China in eight years, BBC reported via Gazeta Express.
The visa-free travel deal also includes an agreement to reduce import tariffs on UK whisky from 10% to 5%, as the government seeks closer trade ties with Beijing to help boost economic growth.
However, critics have argued that the UK should maintain a more cautious relationship with China due to national security risks and human rights concerns in the country.
No date has been set for when the visa agreement will take effect, but the government hopes it will happen as soon as possible.
Hundreds of thousands of Britons could potentially benefit from the change, with around 620,000 traveling to China in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Downing Street said this would bring the UK in line with 50 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan.
Sir Keir said the move would make it easier for businesses to expand in China, while people would also be able to travel there for holidays without a visa.
“As one of the world’s economic powers, businesses have been seeking ways to expand their footprint in China,” he said.
“We will make it easier for them to do so – including eased visa rules for short-term travel – supporting them to expand abroad while driving growth and jobs at home.”
