Chinese ambassador casts doubt on PM’s claim that Beijing agreed to visa-free entry

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OTTAWA — China’s ambassador in Ottawa says Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that Beijing is about to lift its visa requirement for Canadians is not yet official, suggesting the move is still under consideration.

“I did notice that Prime Minister Carney made it public that the Chinese side told him that China is actively considering giving unilateral visa-free treatment to Canadian citizens,” Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday.

“In terms of what specific visa policy that will be, we need to wait for the official announcement of the Chinese side,” Wang said through his interpreter.

At a Jan. 16 press conference in Beijing, Carney stated that President Xi Jinping “in our meeting today has committed to ensuring visa-free access for Canadians travelling to China.”

No statements from the Chinese government or its media affiliates appear to have confirmed this claim. Global Affairs Canada did not have an immediate comment on Wang’s remarks.

When asked when Beijing will change its visa policy and how long Canadians will be able to stay in China without a visa, Wang said he had no details.

He noted Beijing has extended to dozens of countries in recent years the right to 30 days in mainland China without a visa. That policy covers citizens of most of Europe and many developed Asian counties.

Canadians can already enter the Chinese regions of Hong Kong, Macau and Hainan province without a visa. Entering mainland China requires a lengthy application process and roughly $140 in fees -- except for individuals transiting between two countries other than Canada.

Apart from those holding Hong Kong passports, Ottawa requires Chinese citizens to have a visa to visit Canada. For an individual, this costs roughly $185.

Wang said China would like to see more people travelling between the two countries to build on the agreements Carney and Xi approved last week.

“If more facilitation is provided to people-to-people flows between our two countries, that will be good for the exchanges between our two peoples. Because China’s policy has always been supporting and encouraging people-to-people exchanges,” he said.

Carney’s comments about visa-free travel to China were met with enthusiasm in the Chinese-Canadian community, with several community news outlets reporting on the possibility.

M’s Travel and Cruise in Burnaby, B.C., which specializes in travel services for Chinese-speaking clients in Metro Vancouver, says it has been getting a number of calls from customers about the possibility of visiting China visa-free since Carney’s statement.

A company representative said she advises customers to be patient and await a formal announcement from the Chinese government.

Beijing and Ottawa have taken steps to allow more travel between the two countries in recent years.

In August 2023, China lifted a pandemic ban on group tours to numerous countries but kept its tourists effectively barred from group visits to Canada. It lifted those restrictions last November.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said at the time this measure was in response to a spike in anti-Asian discrimination and the federal government having “hyped up” the issue of foreign interference. China lowered its visa fee for Canadians in 2024.

Flights between both countries have increased very gradually since the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay in ramping up flights was caused in part by Canada’s demand that arriving flights not cross Russian territory -- so that foreign airlines would not gain an advantage over Canadian airlines forbidden from Russian overflights due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

In a memorandum signed last week during Carney’s visit to Beijing, the two sides agreed to have their national tourism boards collaborate on promotional campaigns focused on nature in both countries, in sister cities and at events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 22, 2026.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press

With files from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver