China's Visa-Free Policy Drives Russian Visitor Surge

China's Visa-Free Policy Drives Russian Travel Surge

China's trial visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports, which began on 15 September 2025, has substantially increased cross-border movement and economic activity.

Over the past year, border inspection stations in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province recorded 3.38 million inbound and outbound passenger trips, marking a 29.3 percent year-on-year increase. Russian inbound entries alone reached approximately 617,000 during this period, surging by 76.9 percent compared to the previous year.

This policy has simplified travel for many, with one tourist from Vladivostok, Andrey Suvorov, noting the ease of travel without prior visa applications, allowing for spontaneous trips with just a passport and a ticket.

Border City Suifenhe Sees Tourism and Trade Boom

The border city of Suifenhe has directly benefited from the relaxed entry rules. Enhanced with biometric verification technology and smart inspection devices, border clearance procedures now take mere minutes. This efficiency has fostered a trend of weekend cross-border tours.

In the first half of 2026 alone, Suifenhe welcomed 1.7 million tourists, generating 1.87 billion yuan ($279 million) in tourism revenue. The port specifically saw nearly 140,000 inbound and outbound foreign tourists, an 89.8 percent year-on-year increase.

Beyond tourism, the policy has also boosted consumption and trade, with Russian visitors expanding their purchases from light consumer goods to a wider array of products, including used cars, as observed by tourist Dima Vladimirov from Vladivostok.

Diversified Destinations and Economic Growth

The impact extends beyond border regions, with Russian tourists visiting various destinations across China. In Sanya, Hainan province, Russian visitors now constitute over 40 percent of all inbound tourists. Sanya's hotels reported a substantial rise in Russian guest numbers, from approximately 170,000 in 2024 to 350,000 in 2025.

Cities like Chengdu and Leshan in Southwest China's Sichuan province have also emerged as popular new destinations for Russian travellers. The influx has diversified local tourism offerings, such as Suifenhe People's Hospital establishing a dedicated reception room for Russian medical tourism, focusing on traditional Chinese medicine treatments like acupuncture and moxibustion.

Operational Changes and Deeper Bilateral Ties

To manage the increased passenger volume, Suifenhe has optimised its services, introducing bilingual windows, a 24-hour Russian-language consumer rights protection platform, and convenient measures such as ruble payment options and tax refund shops. These efforts have reduced average customs clearance time to just two minutes.

The official opening of Heilongjiang University's Suifenhe campus in 2026, with majors like international trade and Russian translation, provides talent support for strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Anton Bespalov, an expert at Russia's Valdai Discussion Club, noted that independent travellers are the most direct beneficiaries, with facilitated exchanges expected to deepen mutual understanding and people-to-people connections.