Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said on Saturday that more than 1.6 million Russians visited China for tourism during the first six months of 2026, with travel between the two countries increasing since the visa-waiver scheme took effect.
Growth in tourism between the two countries
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said more than two million Russians visited China last year, compared with more than one million Chinese citizens who visited Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit that tourism between the two countries rose 43% in the first half of the year, thanks to the visa-waiver scheme.
Talks on a full visa waiver
Putin said Russia was ready to work toward making the visa-waiver scheme between the two countries permanent if Beijing deemed that possible and beneficial.
In September, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said Moscow and Beijing were holding consultations on introducing a full visa waiver, adding that a decision could be made after the consultations conclude.
