(Yicai) Nov. 25 -- China has added Japan and eight European countries to its unilateral visa-free policy, sparking an immediate surge in travel searches.

Citizens of Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, and Latvia will be able to travel to China for up to 30 days without a visa from Nov. 30 to the end of next year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consular department announced on Nov. 23.

Within half an hour of the announcement, travel-related searches from Europe to China surged 65 percent and from Japan to China 112 percent, according to the overseas platforms of Chinese travel agency Ctrip.

The move will facilitate personnel exchanges, which is crucial for enhancing bilateral economic ties, the China-Japan Chamber of Commerce noted.

"The restoration of the visa-free policy will make it easier for many Japanese tourists and businesspeople to visit China and observe its development," said Chen Zilei, director of Shanghai University of International Business and Economics' Japan Economic Research Center. "This benefits bilateral trade and helps us expand our partnerships network."

China had previously implemented a unilateral 15-day visa exemption for Singapore, Brunei, and Japan but suspended the policy on Mar. 28, 2020.

The extension of the visa-free stay to 30 from 15 days will "not only help retain consumer spending but also promote further exchanges between the two sides," according to Chen.

More Japanese businesspeople will likely return to China, noted Chen Yan, director of the Japan Enterprise China Research Institute. There is a potential for future tie-ups between the two countries in emerging sectors, including electric vehicles, battery technology, fifth-generation, and biopharmaceuticals, he added.

Around 56 percent of Japanese companies said they would "increase" or "maintain" their investment in China, according to a third-quarter survey released by the China-Japan Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 20. In addition, 59 percent reported being "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the business environment, up from 58 percent a quarter earlier and climbing for the fifth straight quarter.

Editor: Martin Kadiev