(Yicai Global) July 26 -- China has reintroduced its 15-day visa-free policy for citizens of Singapore and Brunei but not for Japanese nationals yet.

Singapore citizens traveling to China for business or leisure can stay for 15 days without a visa, starting from today, according to an updated policy posted on the embassy website recently. The Chinese embassy in Brunei issued a similar notice the same day.

Long-term links are warmed up again as China has allowed Singaporeans to visit without a visa for nearly 20 years. Since 2013, China has been the largest trading partner of the Southeast Asian country while Singapore has been the biggest source of new investment for China for nine straight years.

Tourists can expect more flight options as on July 20 China Eastern Airlines launched one daily flight between Beijing Daxing International Airport and Singapore, bringing the Shanghai-based aviation company's weekly number of flights to and from Singapore to 66.

However, the list was missing one country. China's visa application center in Tokyo is busy as appointments are booked until late August because Japanese tourists and members of families living in China seek visas during summer holidays, a visa agent in Japan said to Yicai Global. China used to also have a 15-day visa-free policy for Japanese citizens.

An investor who frequently travels between China and Japan pointed out to Yicai Global that the recovery of routes between China and Japan is accelerating. In addition to Tokyo and Osaka, many small cities in Japan have also restarted routes to go to China after three years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Editors: Lv Yining, Emmi Laine