From Dec. 1, citizens of five European countries and Malaysia can enter China without a visa

BEIJING (AP) — China has announced that it will allow visa-free entry for citizens of five European countries and Malaysia as it tries to encourage more people to visit for business and tourism. Starting Dec. 1, citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia will be allowed to enter China for up to 15 days without a visa. The trial program will be in effect for one year. China’s strict pandemic measures were lifted early this year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. Currently, China allows visa-free entry for citizens of Brunei and Singapore.