In a historic move, Antigua and Barbuda and China have signed a mutual visa waiver agreement, allowing citizens of both countries visa-free travel privileges. This milestone was reached during the visit of Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, the Honorable Gaston Browne, along with his accompanying delegation, to the People’s Republic of China from January 22 to 28, 2024.
The visa exemption agreement was signed by Mr. Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, and the Honorable Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Antigua and Barbuda. This visa waiver pact is among a series of collaborative agreements signed between the two countries on the sidelines of the visit, encompassing diverse areas such as health, education, development, investment, and tourism. This period showcases a notable advancement in Chinese diplomatic efforts, with the country sealing several visa waiver agreements since the beginning of the year, including pacts with Thailand, Singapore, and now Antigua and Barbuda.
On the other hand, this development is not expected to impact the Chinese passport ranking, as Antigua and Barbuda had already unilaterally allowed Chinese tourists to enter without a visa prior to the formalization of this agreement.