Chinese Tourists May Travel to Russia's Primorye Without Visa Starting Spring - Governor

BEIJING (Sputnik) - A visa-free entry to Russia's Primorsky Territory could be re-introduced for Chinese tourists as early as this spring, with regional authorities ready to welcome travelers from China, Governor Oleg Kozhemyako said on Tuesday.

An official delegation of Russia’s Primorsky Territory led by Kozhemyako has been on a working visit to China since Sunday.

"Regional authorities are ready to meet Chinese guests. I think that people of our region, restaurants, hotels and cultural centers will also be glad to do it. Our shops used to happily welcome our Chinese friends and everyone has been missing communication for over three years," Kozhemyako told reporters in Beijing, expressing his hope that visa-free traveling for tourist groups would be possible this spring.

The head of the Primorsky Territory also stated that increasing tourism between the two countries should also be accompanied by intensified exchanges of sports delegations as well as active participation of Russian and Chinese athletes in different competitions.

Another area of common interest is the development of agricultural cooperation, according to Kozhemyako.

"China is ready for cooperation in the broadest sense of the word, including supplies of agricultural goods. There are veterinary regulations that we have to comply with and [we also have to] create all conditions under which Chinese customs veterinary services could qualify the region as clear," the Russian official said.

In terms of trade between China and the Russian region, the governor stated that the sides had managed to increase the trade volume by 46% to $7.5 billion in 2022 and were aiming to reach the target of $10 billion in 2023.

Russia's Primorsky Territory and China has had a visa-free regime since 2000, but it was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.