The foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and China signed an agreement on December 1st in Chengdu, China, allowing citizens from both countries to stay in each other’s nations for up to 30 days without a visa. Uzbekistan’s foreign minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, made the announcement, emphasizing that this agreement is a significant step toward enhancing bilateral exchanges, boosting trade, and strengthening people-to-people connections between the two countries. The deal follows the groundwork laid during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to China in the spring of 2023.
Since March 2021, Chinese citizens have been able to visit Uzbekistan without a visa for up to 10 days, but until now, Uzbek citizens still require a visa to travel to China. The specific date for the implementation of the new visa-free policy has yet to be confirmed.