The Chinese government has called on the Portuguese authorities to implement a reciprocal visa exemption policy for Chinese nationals, after Portuguese nationals were included in Beijing’s visa-free policy last October.
Speaking with the Portuguese-language news agency, Lusa, the Chinese ambassador to Lisbon, Zhao Bentang, highlighted the lopsided nature of the current arrangements, noting that “the Portuguese can go to China very easily to do business,” unlike their Chinese counterparts who are either unable to do so or face “very difficult” barriers.
Zhao said that he had “spoken many times” with the Portuguese government about the issue and pointed out that the “Chinese government expects the Portuguese government and European governments to also facilitate [entry] for Chinese tourists, traders and businesspeople in terms of visas.”
The ambassador added that the Chinese authorities brought up the topic during the Portuguese foreign minister, Paulo Rangel’s recent four-day trip in Beijing, Macao and Hong Kong, which concluded on Friday.
Under China’s current policy, Portuguese citizens are permitted to enter the country visa-free for up to 15 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits or transit.
[See more: Macao’s Portuguese community wants Paulo Rangel to address residency issues]
The measure – which covers 38 nations – is set to expire on 31 December, although Zhao said “the Chinese side may consider some extension” based on “appreciation” and “demand.” He noted that it was not yet time to begin assessing a renewal of the visa-free measure.
Portugal’s inclusion in China’s visa-free arrangement last year came after much delay, with the European nation being snubbed in the first few visa waivers, which applied to countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Ireland.
The country’s prolonged omission led to speculations over the possible reasons and confusion within the Portuguese government, with Portugal’s ambassador to Beijing describing the situation at the time as “difficult to understand.”
Portugal’s absence from the visa-waiver program was all the more remarkable when considering that the country was historically among the very first Western nations to forge ties with China, administering Macao for over 400 years until its return to the mainland in 1999.
Economic ties between the two countries have also been growing, with data showing that total trade hit US$9.65 billion last year. Portugal imported US$6.57 billion worth of Chinese goods, or a rise of 5.57 percent year-on-year.
