Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek on Monday (August 31, 2026) and discussed a visa-free regime between the two countries, besides exchanging views on international and regional issues of common concern.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and China's President Xi Jinping attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. | Photo
Mr. Putin said Russia is ready to work with China to make the visa-free regime between the two countries permanent if Beijing considers this possible and useful.
“We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful,” Mr. Putin told Mr. Xi, according to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency.
He noted that visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the countries by 43 per cent in the first half of the year.
On December 1, 2025, Mr. Putin signed a decree to enable Chinese citizens to enter Russia for up to 30 days without a visa until September 14, 2026, based on the principle of reciprocity.
Previously, China introduced a similar visa-free regime for Russians.
Subsequently, both parties extended the right to enter visa-free until the end of 2027.
Mr. Xi told Mr. Putin that under their strategic guidance and through the joint efforts of both sides, the foundation of China-Russia relations will become ever stronger, their progress ever steadier, and their future ever brighter.
He said that the international landscape is witnessing a notable increase in uncertain and unpredictable factors, against the backdrop of accelerating profound changes unseen in a century.
But the pursuit of people across the world of peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes remains unchanged, he told the Russian President, China’s State-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
