In the past six months, the Chinese government has successively launched visa-free entry policies for tourists from more than a dozen European and Asian countries. While China's economy is in recession and it is in urgent need of attracting foreign investment, what are the different feelings of overseas tourists when they visit China? Can the visa-free policy successfully stimulate more tourists or business travelers to visit China?
China simplifies visa applications for U.S. tourists to China
China again opens unilateral visa exemption to Ireland and Switzerland
Malaysians hope not only for Chinese visa relaxation but also for free internet
In January this year, the Chinese government successively announced that it would provide unilateral visa exemption for Ireland and Switzerland, and would open mutual visa exemption for Singapore for 30 days. In addition, starting from March 1 this year, China and Thailand will also open permanent visa exemption measures for citizens of both sides. The Chinese government's cancellation of visas and opening of borders has become a trend in the past few months. In the past six months, China has opened a visa-free policy to tourists from Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia and other countries.
However, according to China's National Immigration Administration, the number of entry-exit foreign tourists in 2023 will be 35.478 million, an increase of nearly seven times from 4.473 million in 2022. However, this official figure is still far less than the level of 97.675 million passengers before the epidemic in 2019.
Overseas Chinese: Traveling to China is subject to strict police surveillance
Foreign nationals are hesitant to travel to China, many of which are due to the high cost of air tickets, the inconvenience of life upon arrival without a Chinese mobile phone number, and the need to be closely controlled by the authorities.
Mr. Yang, an Australian citizen, told this reporter: "I recently returned to China. The biggest inconvenience is that overseas credit cards are difficult to use in China, and China's WeChat Pay or Alipay require a Chinese domestic WeChat account to install. Moreover, Without a mobile phone number in China, I can't even hail a taxi. I have to ask someone to hail one for me every time."
Mr. Yang continued: "Another problem is that I went to the police station to register for accommodation. Soon after the registration, the neighborhood committee cadres came to verify, and they also deliberately told me what time I left the residence. It was nothing more than a warning to me: the Public Security Bureau is closely monitoring He followed my every move and deliberately put pressure on me. "
Mr. Yang said that not only was he himself under close surveillance by the Chinese government, but his work partners who were in contact with him also came to the attention of the authorities: "I used my Australian mobile phone in China to make a call to a female boss in Zhejiang to discuss cooperation. possibility. A few hours after making the call, the lady was called to the police station by the police. The police told her that it was an overseas fraud call and made a record. She was so scared that she never dared to answer my call again. The experience of going to China made me very stressed and scared. I think we should try to avoid going to China, it is a hysterical country."
High air ticket prices affect tourists’ willingness to visit China
Angela, who works in the United States, also told reporters in an interview with this station that the air ticket price from the United States to China is still higher than before the epidemic, which makes her more hesitant to return to China: "Although the air ticket price back to China has dropped now, , but it is still higher than before the epidemic, which will affect my willingness to return to China. I went back last month and basically stayed in big cities, so life is quite convenient."
Angela said that compared to her experience when she returned to China three years ago, the Chinese government has stricter controls on people now: "One thing that makes me find it very inconvenient is that I have to check my identity information wherever I go, and I need to book high-speed rail tickets and book tickets for attractions. Yes, you even need to register a shared bike account. The purpose of this is probably to collect and control information and capture everyone's whereabouts, but it is very annoying."
Ms. Cai, who runs a travel agency in the United States, also told our reporter that due to political issues, middle-aged and elderly overseas Chinese are not very willing to travel to China. They mainly travel to South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa: "It's not that we If we don’t do business in the Chinese market, now is not the right time, not very suitable, whether it is political or other factors. Guests have to go back by themselves, and the air tickets will be more expensive. Then, guests will not be encouraged to travel to certain places in China, then Definitely not now, it will have to wait many years."
Will China's opening up of visa exemption become a trend? Scholar: Beijing aims to reshape its international image
At the same time, the outside world is paying attention to what is the reason behind the Chinese government’s current aggressive opening of borders? Riley Walters, a senior researcher on international economics at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, said in an interview with this station that the Beijing authorities want to improve relations with various countries through the visa-free policy. And to increase the attraction of foreign investment: "Beijing is working hard to build trust with the international community. The slowdown in the economy and stock market has made China's demand for foreign investment high. Relaxing visa restrictions will also help the tourism industry."
Zhuang Jiaying, associate professor of the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, said that Singapore and China resumed visa exemption this year after the epidemic in order to promote tourism and attract foreign business travelers. At the same time, looking at China’s trend of opening its borders, he believes that this means that the Beijing authorities hope to diplomatically reshape developed countries’ impression of China through the visa-free policy: “Because before and after the epidemic, it (China) used wolf warrior diplomacy and so on. The image in these places (developed countries) is a bit bad. It (China) hopes to show goodwill again to Europe and Australia from last year."
Beijing opens visa-free policy for many countries to attract foreign scholars: fear of ineffective results
So, with the implementation of the visa-free policy, can Beijing attract more foreign investors to China as expected?
Professor Ralph Weber from the European Center for Global Studies at the University of Basel in Switzerland told our reporter that the effect of Beijing’s visa-free policy on attracting business travelers will be quite limited: “ Investors are very interested in traveling to China. They're hesitant because they're uneasy. They're worried about what's going on in China, like the espionage laws. So the impact created by the visa-free policy is irrelevant. I can't imagine a Swiss business traveler thinking, 'Wow, I don't have to now. I paid for a Chinese visa, so I'm going to invest in China,' that's not the logic. "
Weber also added: “Foreign business guests are happy with the visa exemption, which brings benefits to their business operations. However, China’s visa application fee for Switzerland will be reduced in 2023, from 70 Swiss francs to 45 Swiss francs. francs. At that time, everyone was saying, which business customer would think, 'Now the application fee is 25 francs less, so I decided to go to China and see'? For business customers, this is not much money at all. Generally speaking, I don’t think visa exemption can be an important inducement for business travelers to go to China, and I don’t think this policy can help the Chinese authorities achieve the results they hope for. "
Walters had a similar view. He pointed out: “Simplifying the procedures for business travel will not alleviate the main concerns of foreign investors. The main reasons for investors to hesitate to do business in China are unclear regulations, government support for local competitive industries, and the authorities’ There is growing ill will from foreign companies.”
Worried about personal safety, foreign scholars dare not go to China to conduct academic research
On the other hand, the Beijing authorities’ actions to increase domestic social control in recent years have also reduced the willingness of foreign scholars to conduct academic research in China.
Weber told reporters: " There are a lot of discussions among foreign scholars studying China issues. Everyone is a little uneasy and not sure whether it is a good idea to go to China to do academic research. For me, going to China It was not an option because the research I was doing covered how the Chinese government used united front propaganda to influence foreign politics. At that time, the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland also protested against my research. ”
Weber said: " This makes me very cautious about going to China. I am also worried that if I go to China, the people I meet will get into trouble. This is not only a consideration for my own safety, but also a consideration of what will happen after I go to China. What impact will it have on local colleagues and friends? I think my experience is not an isolated case. Many scholars who study China face similar problems."
In December 2020, Weber published a research report on the political penetration of the Chinese authorities in Switzerland. The report pointed out that by interacting with local overseas Chinese and entertainers, Chinese embassies and consulates use their influence to further shape Swiss civil society’s impression of China and guide Swiss people’s views on sensitive issues such as Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan.
Shortly after the report was released, the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland issued a statement expressing protest. The Chinese embassy said Weber's report was "malicious slander and rumors" against Beijing. The statement read: "The report is full of absurd arguments such as 'conspiracy theory' and 'infiltration theory', which has caused harm to the legitimate rights and interests of the vast number of overseas Chinese in Sweden and undermined the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Switzerland. We condemn this." Strongly condemn and firmly oppose it."
Zhuang Jiaying pointed out that due to the increasingly intensified control of domestic society by the Chinese authorities, the results of overseas scholars going to China to conduct research have been restricted, which has also reduced the willingness of foreign scholars to go to China to do fieldwork: "As a foreigner, you have to get ( Researching) information seems to be even more difficult. I have not been to China yet, but based on the experience of some friends and colleagues who have gone to China, there is not that much that can be collected now. Sometimes, you need to entrust a company to help with research Or other schools, we can’t do it directly like in the past."
To implement new laws and regulations in Xinjiang, new religious sites must be "Sinicized"
In order to strengthen the control of religious activities, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has implemented new regulations since February. In addition to requiring religious groups, school faculty and believers to adhere to the direction of "Sinicization of religion", all newly built religious sites must also reflect "China's Character and style". Some commentators believe that the CCP can only change the appearance of the mosque, but it cannot win the heartfelt approval of Uyghur Muslims.
Senior CCP official once again mentioned “deeply promoting the Sinicization of Islam”
Sinicization of Islam: The largest mosque in North China faces appearance changes
Revealed documents: Xinjiang Uighurs imprisoned in concentration camps because of religious beliefs
The new version of the "Regulations on Religious Affairs of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region" will be officially implemented on February 1, stipulating that religious groups, schools, activity venues, clergy and religious citizens must adhere to the direction of "sinicization of religion" and safeguard national unity and ethnic unity. , religious harmony and social stability. The new regulations also require that "newly built, renovated, expanded and reconstructed religious venues should reflect Chinese characteristics and styles in architecture, sculptures, paintings, decorations, etc." Any modifications to the existing layout will need to be approved by the authorities.
Shi Jianyu, an associate researcher at the National Security Institute of the National Defense and Security Research Institute in Taiwan and an expert on Islamic issues at the Central Asia Society, believes that China hopes to reinterpret Islam.
Shi Jianyu: "Before Xi Jinping came to power, religious liberalization was relatively loose. Many countries in the Arab world, that is, in the Middle East, donated money to build mosques in China. Of course, they used Arabic-style buildings. China is now This symbol must be removed. China (believes) that the so-called Islamic religious orthodoxy is not necessarily in the Arab world, so its physical structure must also change its appearance."
Shi Jianyu: The CCP is unable to cultivate Islamic religious leaders on its own
Shi Jianyu said that it is not difficult to change the appearance of the mosque, but these are just superficial efforts. The core of religion is faith, values, and the prestige of missionaries, and the CCP is still unable to control these elements.
Shi Jianyu: "If you want this group of people (Islamists) to change their political identity and truly cut off contact with the world, they must have their own religious leaders to lead them. They (Chinese authorities) have trained some religious figures to do this. The Chinese Communist Party’s missionary work is still not highly respected. The Chinese Communist Party is originally an atheistic organization, and it is actually very contradictory and very difficult for it to cultivate a theistic religious leader, as if the record is constantly skipping.”
Dilishati, spokesperson of the World Uyghur Congress, believes that the CCP’s ultimate goal is to cut off the connection between domestic religion and the outside world.
Dilishati: "The political purpose of the so-called 'Sinicization of Islam' is very clear, which is to submit to Chinese culture and the atheistic CCP to ensure that the Islamic Uyghur nation follows atheistic ideas and reduce their links with Muslims and the Arab world. Chinese traditional culture has roots in Buddhism and Taoism, while Uyghurs believe in Islam, and the purpose of completely eradicating Uyghur religious beliefs is achieved in the name of the so-called 'Sinicization of Islam.'"
In addition to the "Sinicization of religious sites," the new regulations also stipulate for the first time that the interpretation of religious teachings must "conform to the requirements of contemporary China's development and China's outstanding traditional culture." Holding large religious gatherings requires local government approval one month in advance.