Portugal finds itself among the select few Western European nations whose citizens do not enjoy visa exemptions for entry into China, as Beijing extends this privilege to six

additional countries.

Initially introduced for Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and the Netherlands at the end of the previous year, China's visa-free policy for stays of up to 15 days has now been expanded to include Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Portugal's exclusion from this arrangement raises questions about the criteria behind China's decision-making process. Portuguese Ambassador to Beijing, Paulo Nascimento, expressed his bewilderment, stating that while China retains the autonomy to determine its visa policies, he intends to seek clarification from Chinese authorities regarding this specific choice.

Despite his perplexity, Nascimento does not interpret China's decision as deliberate negative discrimination against Portugal. However, he remains eager for further insights into the criteria guiding this exclusion.

When questioned, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized China's openness to enhancing people-to-people exchanges with foreign nations and expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with Lisbon to facilitate bilateral interactions. Yet, no detailed explanation was provided for Portugal's exclusion from the visa exemption policy.

João Pedro Pereira, president of the PorCham business group, remains optimistic about Portugal's inclusion in the visa exemption policy in the near future. He anticipates that the ongoing procedural considerations will likely lead to Portugal's incorporation, which would greatly benefit Portuguese companies and entrepreneurs.

As Portugal awaits further developments, diplomatic channels remain open to address concerns and promote mutual understanding between the two nations. Photo by Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia commons.