tourism

HUT Ke-58 ASEAN, Indonesian Citizens Can Travel To And From China With A 5-Year Visa

The 58th Anniversary of ASEAN (HUT) will be commemorated on Friday, August 8, 2025. ASEAN stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is a coalition of 10 countries, including Indonesia. According to Antara, it is planned that one more official member, Timor Leste, will join ASEAN by the end of 2025. The celebration of ASEAN's 58th anniversary, themed "Towards Inclusive & Sustainable ASEAN Future," will take place in two cities: Jakarta, Indonesia, and Osaka, Japan. Prior to this anniversary, the 10 ASEAN countries have gained a new benefit in the form of the ASEAN Visa from China.

What is the ASEAN Visa? The ASEAN Visa is a multiple-entry visa valid for five years. This visa is issued by the Chinese government to the 10 Southeast Asian countries, along with Timor Leste.

As reported by Kompas.com on Friday, June 6, 2025, the ASEAN Visa allows citizens of Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations to visit and stay in China for a maximum of 180 days or six months. This information was provided by Lin Jian, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. "China has launched the 'ASEAN visa' for the 10 ASEAN member countries and the observer Timor-Leste. This new program offers a 'multi-entry' visit visa valid for five years for eligible applicants visiting China for business purposes," stated Lin Jian.

Who is eligible to receive the ASEAN Visa? The ten ASEAN member countries that can apply for the ASEAN Visa include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, along with Timor Leste. The ASEAN Visa is also applicable to the spouses and children of the visa applicants. Furthermore, the visa applicants and their children can enter China for five years without needing to apply for a new visa. If the visa application is approved, the visa applicant can enjoy a maximum stay with the ASEAN Visa. "For anyone with more detailed questions regarding visas to China, please contact our diplomatic and consular representatives in your respective countries," stated Lin Jian.

Why does China offer the ASEAN Visa? Lin Jian explained that China and ASEAN have developed a community with a shared future and have made significant progress in building a peaceful, secure, prosperous, beautiful, and friendly home. "Visits between the Chinese populace and Southeast Asian countries are occurring intensively. There is a shared hope to further facilitate travel between China and ASEAN," he expressed.

Previously, Lin Jian stated that there has already been a visa-free facility between China and several Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as the "Lancang-Mekong visa" program for countries along the Mekong River.

"The number of countries granted unilateral visa-free access to China has reached 43. The continually expanding 'visa-free list' reflects China's strong commitment to enhancing high-level openness," Lin Jian remarked. The various measures taken by China to facilitate cross-border travel are part of China's concrete actions to foster an open global economy.

Moreover, in the first quarter of this year, China welcomed over nine million visits from foreign nationals, marking an increase of more than 40 percent year-on-year, and in the first four months alone, over 18,000 foreign-invested enterprises were established in China, representing a 12.1 percent year-on-year growth. Furthermore, he revealed that China will continue to enhance its entry policies and add more countries to the visa-free list.

"We welcome more foreign friends to visit China, and we are committed to being more open and collaborating more deeply for the mutual well-being of the entire world," he concluded. It is important to note that China previously announced a visa-free policy for six Gulf countries that are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

China also announced a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. According to the National Immigration Administration of China, the number of foreigners entering China utilizing the visa-free facilities in 2024 is expected to reach 20.1 million, representing an increase of 112.3 percent compared to 2023.

Tag: 58th Anniversary Of ASEAN China Gulf Cooperation Council