On December 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting visa exemptions to Russia for up to 30 days to many groups of Chinese citizens. These groups include tourists, businessmen, scholars, artists and athletes.
Mr. Putin's decision was made in response to a similar move by Beijing, which has granted a maximum of 30-day visa exemption to many groups of Russian citizens with common passports since September 15. The new Russian decree will take effect until September 14, 2026.
However, the new rule does not include imported workers, long-term students, or those working in China's delivery and transportation sector.
Previously, President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an "unlimited" strategic partnership agreement just days before the Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022. Moscow has since relied heavily on imports from Beijing to weather Western sanctions.
