China’s government opened its country’s doors a little wider this week by extending the period that tourists visiting the country can stay without a visa to up to ten days.

本周，中国政府进一步开放国门，将外国游客免签停留期限延长至10天。

It’s the latest effort in China’s push to welcome tourists back amid geopolitical tensions and after strict pandemic policies froze all travel to the country. The transit policy is among a few changes China has made to entice visitors since it reopened its borders in 2023.

在地缘政治紧张局势和严格的疫情政策冻结所有赴华旅行后，此举是中国为迎接游客回归所做出的最新努力。自2023 年重新开放边境以来，过境免签政策是中国为吸引游客而做出的几项改变之一。

The Chinese government said in a statement that it “invites more foreign friends to come to China and experience the beauty of the country in this new era firsthand.”

中国政府在一份声明中表示，“欢迎更多的外国朋友来中国，亲身感受新时代中国之美。”

Here’s what you need to know.

以下是您需要了解的信息。

China increased the days visitors in transit can stay.

中国延长了过境游客的停留天数。

Starting in 2023, China allowed travelers from 54 different countries, including the United States, to enter the country without prior visa approval if they were in transit to another country.

从2023年开始，中国允许来自54个不同国家（包括美国）的旅客在过境前往其他国家时无需事先获得签证批准即可入境。

Tourists were originally allowed to stay three to six days depending on which port of entry they had used. Under the new policy, tourists can stay up 240 hours, or 10 days, for those who arrive at one of the country’s approved airports.

最初，游客可停留3至6天，具体取决于他们入境时的口岸。根据新政策，抵达中国批准机场的游客最多可停留240小时，即10天。

China also added 21 locations to its 39 ports of entry and exit and relaxed travel restrictions across the provinces. Previously, travelers were limited to the specific region where they had entered the country. But in its updated policy China will let people entering via the transit program to travel across the 24 provinces where visa-free travelers are allowed.

中国还在39个出入境口岸的基础上新增加了21个地点，并放宽了各省的旅行限制。此前，游客仅可在他们入境的特定地区活动。但在新政策中，中国允许通过过境计划入境的游客在允许免签旅客的24个省份之间旅行。

How does the program work?

该计划如何运作？

To take advantage of the new program, visitors will need to book at least two flights: one to any of the 60 Chinese ports allowed under the visa-free transit policy, and a flight to a third country that departs within 10 days of arriving to China.

要利用这项过境免签政策，游客需要预订至少两趟航班：一趟飞往免签过境政策允许的60个中国口岸之一，另一趟是飞往第三国、在抵达中国后10天内起飞的航班。

Chinese border authorities will look for proof of an already-purchased airline ticket for a departing flight upon arrival. Passengers will also be asked to fill out an application for access at the airport.

中国边境当局将在游客抵达时要求出示已购买离境航班机票的证明。乘客还将被要求在机场填写入境申请表。

As with other international trips, travelers will need to provide a valid passport, pass through airport security checks and answer questions from immigration authorities.

与其他国际旅行一样，旅行者需要提供有效护照，通过机场安检并回答移民局的问题。

China has been using the program to make travel to the country easier, said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel app Going. While the visa-free transit program has had only “marginal” impact on American travelers, it could help attract more visitors.

旅行应用程序Going的创始人斯科特·凯斯表示，中国一直在利用该政策简化前往该国的旅行。虽然免签过境计划对美国旅行者的影响“微不足道”，但它可以帮助吸引更多游客。

“All countries want to kind of control the flow of who’s coming in and out of the country,” Mr. Keyes said. “They also just want more visitors, and if you are a potential tourist, even if you’re just transiting, that’s an opportunity to wow you as a tourist.”

“所有国家都希望能在某种程度上控制进出该国的人员流动，”凯斯说。“同时，他们也只是想要更多的游客，如果你是一个潜在的游客，即使你只是过境，这也是一个让身为游客的你感到惊艳的机会。”

China is seeking to attract visitors.

中国正在寻求吸引游客。

Since China reopened its borders, the country has made efforts to entice visitors to give its slumping economy a boost and bring back foreign business.

自中国重新开放边境以来，该国一直在努力吸引游客，以提振低迷的经济，并将外国的生意带回来。

High ticket prices have kept many travelers away, but over 14 million overseas visitors entered the country in the first half of 2024, according to Chinese statistics. Most of those visitors entered through visa-free programs.

高昂的机票价格一直让许多游客望而却步，但根据中国统计数据，2024年上半年有超过1400万海外游客入境。这些游客大多通过过境免签政策入境。

Keyes said that demand for flights to Asia from the United States has been lower than to Western Europe, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. All those have all seen increases in visitors from the U.S. in recent years. But China has specifically taken a significant hit, he said.

凯斯表示，从美国飞往亚洲的航班需求低于飞往西欧、哥伦比亚和多米尼加共和国的航班需求。近年来，所有这些国家的美国游客数量都有所增加。但他表示，中国的国外游客数量尤其受到重创。

“There’s nowhere else in Asia that has anywhere close to this level of decrease in tourism that China has,” Mr. Keyes said.

“亚洲没有其他地方的旅游业像中国这样出现如此程度的下降，”凯斯说。

Geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Chinese governments has made flying to and from each country more complicated since airlines must negotiate between the two countries to increase the number of flights.

美中之间的地缘政治紧张局势使往返两国的航班变得更加复杂，因为为了增加航班数量，航空公司必须在两国之间进行谈判。

An advisory from the U.S. State Department advises Americans traveling to mainland China to “exercise increased caution” because the country “arbitrarily enforces local laws” and could detain or arrest U.S. citizens on various grounds.

美国国务院发布的一份报告建议前往中国大陆的美国人“务必提高警惕”，因为该国“任意执行当地法律”，可能以各种理由拘留或逮捕美国公民。