BEIJING, September 28. /TASS/. The introduction of a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens will have a positive effect on the entire range of economic ties between Russia and China, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said during a meeting with Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli.

"By decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin, we are working on a reciprocal measure for tourists from China. This is a responsible step, and I am confident it will have a favorable impact on the entire spectrum of humanitarian and economic ties between our countries," the minister said.

According to him, Russia and China have enormous cooperation potential, given the developing relations at all levels of bilateral and multilateral interaction. Reshetnikov also thanked the Chinese leadership for making such an important decision as abolishing visas for Russian tourists.

The minister noted that tourist exchanges between the two countries are characterized by high indicators and stable growth dynamics. The highest figure was recorded in 2019, with 4.2 million trips, he reported. By the end of 2024, the figure stood at 2.8 million, doubling the tourist flow of 2023, he stated. There is also positive dynamics in 2025: over the first six months, tourist flow reached 1.4 million trips, a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the minister said.

"All this is thanks to the prompt measures taken by our ministries to launch the visa-free group travel regime and introduce e-visas for Chinese tourists. To improve the conditions for such trips, in July of this year, we extended the e-visa stay period to 30 days, with a visa validity of 120 days," Maxim Reshetnikov said.