Philippines allows 14-day visa-free entry for Chinese nationals
The Philippines will allow Chinese nationals to enter the country without a visa starting Friday, January 16, 2026, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced.
The visa-free entry permits stays of up to 14 days for tourism or business purposes, but only through Manila and Cebu airports, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The one-year policy aims to encourage tourism and business travel while strengthening bilateral ties between the Philippines and China amid ongoing regional tensions.
The stay is non-extendable and non-convertible, aiming to revive economic exchanges strained by South China Sea disputes.
This move comes as the Philippines seeks to recover its tourism sector, which has lagged behind Southeast Asian peers post-pandemic.
Chinese visitors, once a major source of revenue, plummeted due to geopolitical frictions and travel restrictions. In 2019, over 1.7 million Chinese tourists visited, contributing billions to the economy, but numbers dropped sharply thereafter.
Critics, including some Filipino netizens and opposition figures, express concerns over national security, citing past incidents of illegal Chinese workers and espionage fears.
The Department of Foreign Affairs emphasises strict entry protocols to mitigate risks, including background checks at ports.
Similar initiatives in Thailand and Vietnam have successfully boosted Chinese inbound tourism, with Thailand seeing a 50% surge in arrivals after its waiver.
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