Since December 1, China has implemented a unilateral visa-free entry policy for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. In the first three days alone, nearly 7,000 people from the six countries came to China through visa-free entry, accounting for 39 percent of the total arrivals from the six countries.

People from many countries said that China's expanded visa-free policy has brought tangible convenience to the smooth flow of personnel between China and other countries, the promotion of tourism, economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.

"I believe they will love China"

"My Dutch friends are talking about it very much," said Gabe, an ambassador for the Dutch tourism board and head of the village of Yangjiao, a popular tourist destination. "They are looking forward to going to China and believe they will love China."

Out of love for Chinese culture and the need for work, Gabe travels to China frequently and "makes new discoveries every time."

She shared her recent travels to Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Hebei and Anhui provinces, especially the new destinations she discovered, such as Xixinan Village in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, a traditional village with a history of more than 1,200 years.

Yang, a 17-year-old German high school student, is full of expectations for coming to China: "China has different aspects, the urban and rural landscape and people's life are interesting.

Now I can travel to China without a visa and experience and see this for myself, which makes me happy because China is indeed an interesting country."

"After the policy came out, I heard that many friends and business partners wanted to travel to China during the recent school holidays or Chinese New Year in Malaysia."

Luo Zhangwu, president of the Malaysia-China Law Association, said. This year, Luo Zhangwu has visited China several times and experienced that green development has penetrated into the lives of Chinese people, including new energy vehicles, driverless cars, smart cities, smart factory production lines, etc. He was deeply impressed by China's green and low-carbon development concept and green technology innovation.

Luigi Gambardella, president of the China-Europe Digital Association, noted that foreign tourists can now book various services during their trip to China online through travel agencies, and the recent integration of Alipay and wechat Pay with foreign bank cards has made it easier for foreign tourists to travel in China.

"China is increasingly confident in the global appeal of Chinese culture and is more actively participating in global trade and cultural exchanges."

"China is a country where our companies must go to expand their markets."

Josep Gomes, manager of international business development at the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in Spain, is not surprised that five of the visa-free countries are EU members: "Spain and the rest of the EU have strong ties with China, and in fact their investment in China has grown significantly in the past few years."

Gomes said that given the importance of maintaining good EU-China relations, any initiatives to increase EU-China exchanges and cooperation should be encouraged.

"China has always been a focus for us, a country with great potential, and has always been part of our internationalization plans. China is a country where our companies have to go to expand their markets."

Gambardella said the visa-free policy has made it easier for European smes to travel to China for business, exhibitions and other activities.

He said it would be "very beneficial" for Europe to consider a similar reciprocal visa policy in favour of Chinese citizens.

"Given the size and strength of China's economy, attracting more Chinese citizens to Europe for tourism and business visits will have a positive impact on European economic growth," he said, adding that "this approach will also promote cooperation and understanding between Europe and China." "A recovery in international travel and tourism is also critical to global economic recovery and the development of international relations."

Gabi is looking forward to welcoming more Chinese tourists to her hometown of Yangjiao. "More Dutch people will go to China and establish cultural and economic ties with China, which will drive more Chinese people to want to know more about the Netherlands, which will boost the recovery of tourism in the Netherlands and Europe."

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. After China announced the expansion of its visa-free policy, Malaysia also announced a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens. Luo Zhangwu said that more and more Chinese tourists come to Malaysia, which is conducive to the development of Malaysia's tourism industry and related industries such as hotels, restaurants and sales of special agricultural products.
"Foreigners' personal experience will make the rhetoric of smearing China futile"

Helga Zepp Larouche, founder and chairman of the Schiller Institute, a German think tank, believes that China's expansion of the visa-free policy is a good move that "not only makes it easier for citizens of Germany and other countries to travel and explore Chinese culture, but also helps deepen bilateral economic cooperation."

"The more people who can visit China and experience its economic achievements and the friendliness of the Chinese people, the better," larouche said. "The experience of foreigners will make it useless to smear China."

Gomes believes that the visa-free policy will help dispel some Western people's old stereotypes about China. "Tourism is a necessary way to show the real face of the country, and the reality in China is often not what some people in the West imagine."

Gambardella also said that only through personal experience can you truly understand the national conditions and cultures of different countries. "Many people change their stereotypes about China after visiting the country."

"A field trip to China will help you understand a more real China," Mr. Luo said. "I hope the visa-free policy will help more people understand China better."