Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
Cohesive Societies
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National SecurityInstitute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      Cohesive SocietiesSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesNews ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO13199 | Relaxing Visa Rules for Chinese Tourists: Time for ASEAN Review?
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • RSIS Commentary Series
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • Future Issues
    • IDSS Papers
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers

    CO13199 | Relaxing Visa Rules for Chinese Tourists: Time for ASEAN Review?
    Hong Yan

    28 October 2013

    download pdf

    Synopsis

    ASEAN members have greatly benefited from the increasing influx of tourists from mainland China. However, none of them has granted visa waiver to ordinary Chinese passport holders. Should the visa policy be relaxed in line with ASEAN’s goal of greater connectivity with East Asia?

    Commentary

    DURING HIS recent tour of Southeast Asia, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced that China and Thailand have started talks on mutual waiver of tourist visas for their nationals. Bangkok thus becomes the first member-state of ASEAN to discuss such a proposal with Beijing.

    This initiative is not surprising, considering that China is Thailand’s largest source of foreign visitors – 2.8 million Chinese nationals visited the Southeast Asian country in 2012. There are clear benefits for Thailand from such a relaxation of visa rules which other ASEAN countries may want to consider as well.

    Growing inflow of Chinese tourists to ASEAN

    ASEAN countries have witnessed a growing inflow of Chinese tourists in recent years. In 2012 alone, 7.4 million Chinese nationals visited Southeast Asia or 2.6 times more than ten years ago. Chinese officials have emphasised that China is the major stimulus for the booming tourism industry in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. The Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre, Ma Mingqiang estimated that in the next 3-4 years, the percentage of Chinese travellers visiting Southeast Asia will increase from the present 10 percent to 20 percent.

    According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), China is the fastest growing tourism market today. Over the past three decades, the number of Chinese nationals travelling abroad has been increasing at an annual rate of 20 percent. In 2012, Chinese citizens travelling out of the country numbered 83 million person-times – that is including multiple trips abroad by the same people in the year.

    In terms of offshore travellers, the size of the Chinese market is already 1.2 times of that of the United States, and 3.5 times that of Japan. At this rate, China is expected to become the world’s largest market of overseas travel in the near future. It is also well-known that Chinese tourists spend freely abroad. In 2011, their overall expenses exceeded US$72 billion, and this rose to US$102 billion in 2012, making Chinese the world’s biggest tourism spenders, overtaking Americans and Germans, according to the UNWTO.

    Approximately 25 percent of Chinese tourists abroad allocate 51-88 percent of their travel budget to shopping. However, this imbalanced spending pattern is changing gradually. Leisure and vacation were the main purposes of 38 percent of the Chinese nationals travelling abroad in 2011, four percent higher than in the year before. Exotic islands and beaches where one can go with easy visa procedures have become particularly popular among Chinese holidaymakers.

    This trend renders Southeast Asian countries rather promising tourist destinations for China. By 2016, the number of Chinese tourists going on vacation in Southeast Asia is expected to exceed 14 million.

    Despite their large numbers and generous spendings Chinese travellers have not received a warm welcome and respect wherever they go. The New York Times, describing mainland Chinese tourists as “newly wealthy”, “laden with cash”, “helpless with foreign languages” and “unfamiliar with foreign ways”, cited the frustrations expressed through a Thai online message board over the uncivilised behaviours of Chinese tourists.

    Worldwide trend to relax visa rules for Chinese visitors

    Despite the poor reputation of some ill-mannered Chinese tourists abroad, many countries are still relaxing visa procedures to attract more Chinese visitors. A day after China and Thailand announced their proposal of mutual visa waiver, the BBC reported that the United Kingdom will simplify visa applications for Chinese visitors. Under the new plan, Chinese nationals visiting other member-countries of the European Union need not apply for a separate UK visa if they book with selected travel agents.

    This policy is intended to encourage more Chinese companies to invest in the UK. Last year, 210,000 UK visas were issued to Chinese citizens, contributing about £300 million to the British economy. To boost the region’s tourism industry, the EU is also working on a more flexible and less time-consuming visa application process for Chinese travellers. Tourism is also considered to be one of the areas with the highest potential for cooperation between the EU and China.

    Even the US, known for its stringent laws in issuing visa for Chinese citizens, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China in 2007 to allow Chinese leisure group tourists to visit America from June 2008 onwards. The then-US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez stated that the MOU “opens China’s growing market to US travel and tourism industries”.

    Indeed, it is predicted that China will become the top tourist source for the US in 2018 with almost five million Chinese projected to visit the US. In 2012, Chinese travellers spent US$9 billion in America.

    New visa policy for closer ASEAN-China relationship

    While the lucrative tourism market provided by China may serve as a strong incentive for ASEAN countries to consider waiving visa or simplifying visa application for Chinese travellers, it should not be the only motivation. China is now ASEAN’s largest trade partner and ASEAN is the third largest trade partner of China.

    The two sides have set the target to expand the two-way trade to US$1 trillion by 2020 and upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area which came into effect 2010. In the coming eight years, China will import a total of US$3 trillion worth of goods from ASEAN countries and invest more than US$100 billion there. The visa policy between ASEAN and China needs to be reviewed in line with their rapidly growing commercial ties.

    Besides, the policy of waiving or simplifying visa will facilitate Chinese nationals’ travel to Southeast Asia. This will fulfill the strategic goals of ASEAN Connectivity: deeper intra-regional linkage and better regional connectivity with East Asia and key global markets.

    About the Author

    Hong Yan is an alumna of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. She is currently a PhD candidate with the University of Geneva and the Université libre de Bruxelles.

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series

    Synopsis

    ASEAN members have greatly benefited from the increasing influx of tourists from mainland China. However, none of them has granted visa waiver to ordinary Chinese passport holders. Should the visa policy be relaxed in line with ASEAN’s goal of greater connectivity with East Asia?

    Commentary

    DURING HIS recent tour of Southeast Asia, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced that China and Thailand have started talks on mutual waiver of tourist visas for their nationals. Bangkok thus becomes the first member-state of ASEAN to discuss such a proposal with Beijing.

    This initiative is not surprising, considering that China is Thailand’s largest source of foreign visitors – 2.8 million Chinese nationals visited the Southeast Asian country in 2012. There are clear benefits for Thailand from such a relaxation of visa rules which other ASEAN countries may want to consider as well.

    Growing inflow of Chinese tourists to ASEAN

    ASEAN countries have witnessed a growing inflow of Chinese tourists in recent years. In 2012 alone, 7.4 million Chinese nationals visited Southeast Asia or 2.6 times more than ten years ago. Chinese officials have emphasised that China is the major stimulus for the booming tourism industry in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. The Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre, Ma Mingqiang estimated that in the next 3-4 years, the percentage of Chinese travellers visiting Southeast Asia will increase from the present 10 percent to 20 percent.

    According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), China is the fastest growing tourism market today. Over the past three decades, the number of Chinese nationals travelling abroad has been increasing at an annual rate of 20 percent. In 2012, Chinese citizens travelling out of the country numbered 83 million person-times – that is including multiple trips abroad by the same people in the year.

    In terms of offshore travellers, the size of the Chinese market is already 1.2 times of that of the United States, and 3.5 times that of Japan. At this rate, China is expected to become the world’s largest market of overseas travel in the near future. It is also well-known that Chinese tourists spend freely abroad. In 2011, their overall expenses exceeded US$72 billion, and this rose to US$102 billion in 2012, making Chinese the world’s biggest tourism spenders, overtaking Americans and Germans, according to the UNWTO.

    Approximately 25 percent of Chinese tourists abroad allocate 51-88 percent of their travel budget to shopping. However, this imbalanced spending pattern is changing gradually. Leisure and vacation were the main purposes of 38 percent of the Chinese nationals travelling abroad in 2011, four percent higher than in the year before. Exotic islands and beaches where one can go with easy visa procedures have become particularly popular among Chinese holidaymakers.

    This trend renders Southeast Asian countries rather promising tourist destinations for China. By 2016, the number of Chinese tourists going on vacation in Southeast Asia is expected to exceed 14 million.

    Despite their large numbers and generous spendings Chinese travellers have not received a warm welcome and respect wherever they go. The New York Times, describing mainland Chinese tourists as “newly wealthy”, “laden with cash”, “helpless with foreign languages” and “unfamiliar with foreign ways”, cited the frustrations expressed through a Thai online message board over the uncivilised behaviours of Chinese tourists.

    Worldwide trend to relax visa rules for Chinese visitors

    Despite the poor reputation of some ill-mannered Chinese tourists abroad, many countries are still relaxing visa procedures to attract more Chinese visitors. A day after China and Thailand announced their proposal of mutual visa waiver, the BBC reported that the United Kingdom will simplify visa applications for Chinese visitors. Under the new plan, Chinese nationals visiting other member-countries of the European Union need not apply for a separate UK visa if they book with selected travel agents.

    This policy is intended to encourage more Chinese companies to invest in the UK. Last year, 210,000 UK visas were issued to Chinese citizens, contributing about £300 million to the British economy. To boost the region’s tourism industry, the EU is also working on a more flexible and less time-consuming visa application process for Chinese travellers. Tourism is also considered to be one of the areas with the highest potential for cooperation between the EU and China.

    Even the US, known for its stringent laws in issuing visa for Chinese citizens, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China in 2007 to allow Chinese leisure group tourists to visit America from June 2008 onwards. The then-US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez stated that the MOU “opens China’s growing market to US travel and tourism industries”.

    Indeed, it is predicted that China will become the top tourist source for the US in 2018 with almost five million Chinese projected to visit the US. In 2012, Chinese travellers spent US$9 billion in America.

    New visa policy for closer ASEAN-China relationship

    While the lucrative tourism market provided by China may serve as a strong incentive for ASEAN countries to consider waiving visa or simplifying visa application for Chinese travellers, it should not be the only motivation. China is now ASEAN’s largest trade partner and ASEAN is the third largest trade partner of China.

    The two sides have set the target to expand the two-way trade to US$1 trillion by 2020 and upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area which came into effect 2010. In the coming eight years, China will import a total of US$3 trillion worth of goods from ASEAN countries and invest more than US$100 billion there. The visa policy between ASEAN and China needs to be reviewed in line with their rapidly growing commercial ties.

    Besides, the policy of waiving or simplifying visa will facilitate Chinese nationals’ travel to Southeast Asia. This will fulfill the strategic goals of ASEAN Connectivity: deeper intra-regional linkage and better regional connectivity with East Asia and key global markets.

    About the Author

    Hong Yan is an alumna of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. She is currently a PhD candidate with the University of Geneva and the Université libre de Bruxelles.

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    rsissg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info