On March 7, 2024, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about how will China’s diplomacy better serve Chinese modernization when he met the press during the NPC and CPPCC sessions.

Wang Yi said economic diplomacy is an important part of our external work. China will continue to take steps to facilitate visits to and from China, including more convenient payment. Wang Yi shares that starting from March 14, China will further extend, on a pilot basis, visa exemption to six countries including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. China hopes more countries will offer Chinese citizens visa facilitation, and work with China to build fast-track networks for cross-border travels and encourage speedy resumption of international passenger flights. This will make it more convenient for Chinese citizens to travel abroad, and make foreign friends feel at home in China. More tours outside the capital city will be organized for foreign diplomats in China, and more bridges will be built for local governments and businesses to engage in international cooperation. The Foreign Ministry will cooperate with competent departments to work on the negotiation and signing of more high-standard free trade agreements, expanding a global-oriented network of free trade areas, and safeguarding the steady and smooth functioning of global industrial, supply and data chains. Joint efforts will be made to strengthen the various platforms for international cooperation, including the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), and the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE). More steps will be taken to make the business environment more market-oriented, law-based and up to international standards in an effort to stabilize expectations and provide longer-term benefits to global investors and partners.