China expands visa-free policy to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait

China announced on Wednesday it would exempt nationals from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain from needing entry visas starting next month, expanding visa-free coverage to all states in the Gulf Cooperation Council following a similar move with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar back in 2018.

What happened: The new visa-free policy will be implemented from June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026, on a trial basis for passport holders from these four Gulf countries, allowing them to stay in China…