As of December 1, the Chinese government announced a unilateral visa-free policy trial for citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. This initiative allows travelers holding ordinary passports from these countries to visit China without a visa for up to one year. The permitted stays are limited to 15 days and cover purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, and transit, as outlined by Mao Ning, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry.