China Allows Visa-Free Entry for 5 Latin American Nations to Boost Ties
Florence Lo/Pool Photo via AP
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, center, Colombia Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia and Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina attend the plenary session of the China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting in Beijing Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
BEIJING (AP) — China will allow visa-free entry for nationals of five Latin American countries for one year to boost closer connections with the region.
Starting June 1, citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay will be allowed to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, China's Foreign Ministry announced Thursday. The trial program will be in effect for one year.
'We welcome more foreign friends to visit China, to experience the colorful and vibrant China,' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily briefing.
Beijing hosted the China-CELAC, or Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Forum earlier this week, aiming at strengthening its alliances in the region as a counterweight to U.S. influence.
China has been opening up to dozens of countries including most of the European nations, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia to boost the economy after strict pandemic travel measures. China and Uzbekistan will also begin mutual visa-free entry for up to 30 days starting June 1, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Xi, Trump agree to new round of Sino-U.S. trade talks
KYODO NEWS - 22 hours ago - 02:15 | World, All Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during their teleconference Thursday that the two countries will hold a new round of trade talks as soon as possible, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Trump said in a social media post, "Our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined." He also told reporters at the White House that he and Xi "straightened out" some points mainly involving rare earths. The U.S. president added in his post that the call, which lasted about 90 minutes and focused almost entirely on trade, led to a "very positive conclusion" for both sides. The first confirmed conversation between the two leaders since the U.S. president took office in January for a nonconsecutive second term came amid renewed bilateral trade tensions over alleged violations of a tariff accord struck in Geneva in mid-May. Xi said the Geneva agreement proved that "dialogue and cooperation is the only right choice" for China and the United States. He urged Washington to "remove the negative measures" taken against Beijing, according to the Chinese ministry. The world's two largest economies agreed on a 90-day truce in their trade war in the Swiss city to de-escalate tensions, with the two countries committed to backing away from their respective triple-digit tariffs. But the United States has expressed frustration over China's slow progress toward removing export controls on critical rare-earth minerals used in high-tech products as part of the Geneva accord. Trump sounded optimistic about the minerals in his post, saying, "There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products." Xi stressed that China has been "seriously and earnestly executing the agreement" and called on the U.S. side to "acknowledge the progress already made," according to the ministry. Earlier this week, China's Commerce Ministry said Trump's accusation that China has violated the trade accord was "groundless" and "grossly distorts the facts." The ministry also criticized the Trump administration for introducing "discriminatory measures" against China, including issuing guidance on export controls of artificial intelligence chips and revoking visas for Chinese students studying in the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Trump as telling Xi that the United States "loves to have Chinese students coming to study in America." Xi welcomed Trump to visit China again, for which the U.S. president expressed heartfelt appreciation, it added. As for Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island claimed by the mainland, Xi urged Washington to handle the issue "with prudence" so that separatist forces seeking the territory's independence "will not be able to drag China and America into the dangerous terrain of confrontation and even conflict." Xi and Trump last held telephone talks on Jan. 17, shortly before the U.S. president's inauguration. Related coverage: Pentagon chief urges Asian allies to invest in defense to deter China Rubio says U.S. to "aggressively" revoke visas of Chinese students
2 hours ago
Experiencing Ancient Zen Culture at Kamakura's Kenchō-ji
Kamakura Wandering Guideto Japan Founded over 800 years ago, Kamakura served as a spiritual hub of Zen Buddhism and a center of samurai devotion. Kenchō-ji, the city's oldest and most prestigious Zen temple, invites visitors to experience its ancient architecture and enduring spiritual practices. A Temple at the Heart of a Historical Religious Capital Cradled by mountains on three sides and overlooking Sagami Bay, the compact city of Kamakura is home to a surprising number of shrines and temples: 123 in total. Of these, about one-third belong to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, which flourished under the Kamakura shogunate (1185–1333). The main gate of Kenchō-ji is designated a National Important Cultural Property, along with the main hall, lecture hall, and elaborately decorated karamon gate behind it. (© Harada Hiroshi) Zen Buddhism in Japan consists of three main schools: Rinzai, Sōtō, and Ōbaku. While Rinzai is the oldest, all three emphasize zazen (seated meditation) as a path to enlightenment. Under the Kamakura shogunate, five temples (gozan) were given special rank, with Kenchō-ji at the top, followed by Engaku-ji, Jufuku-ji, Jōchi-ji, and Jyōmyō-ji. All five gozan temples still stand today, but Kenchō-ji remains the most prominent. Established in 1253 as Japan's first dedicated Zen dojo (training center), it retains the spiritual and architectural traditions of its founding era. The row of temple buildings viewed from the elevated, far back area of Kenchō-ji's grounds. (© Harada Hiroshi) A visit to Kenchō-ji offers a vivid sense of Zen temple design, where the main structures are positioned in a straight line—a style inherited from Chan Buddhist temples in China. Giant Chinese juniper trees line the temple's approach. (© Harada Hiroshi) Ancient Chinese junipers—part of the cypress family and known for their resistance to cold—line the approach to the main hall. Revered in Chinese Chan for their vitality, they were brought here as saplings during the Southern Song Dynasty by Kenchō-ji's founder, Chinese monk Rankei Dōryū (Lanxi Daolong). Today, these towering trees, now over 760 years old and 7 meters around, are a living testament to the temple's history. On the right side of the approach stands the bonshō (temple bell), cast in 1255 and designated a national treasure. The bell has an ancient elegance in its form and is counted among the Three Famed Bells of Kamakura, alongside those at Engaku-ji (also a national treasure) and Jōraku-ji (the oldest in the city). The thatched-roof belfry and its national treasure bell. (© Harada Hiroshi) The main hall, or butsuden, houses a statue of Jizō, the bodhisattva known for guiding souls in the underworld. This is an unusual choice for a Zen temple, where the principal image is typically Shakyamuni Buddha. The Jizō statue in the butsuden is around 5 meters tall, including the pedestal. (Note: The hall is currently closed for repairs through July 2027.) (© Harada Hiroshi) At the rear of the temple grounds lies the hōjō, once the abbot's quarters. The garden behind it is centered on a pond surrounded by a carefully maintained lawn—an ancient feature that predates the moss gardens popularized in the Edo period (1603–1868). The temple restored this historic lawn garden with the help of landscape experts. Kenchō-ji's garden, centered on a pond, is a nationally recognized landmark. The bridge in the photo has since been removed. (© Harada Hiroshi) Zen Training: More Than Just Meditation Perched atop a hillock in the temple's eastern precincts, the dojo is where monks continue to undergo rigorous training, practicing not only seated meditation but also disciplined eating. Their meals are strictly vegetarian—usually a single dish along with rice and soup, with only plant-based condiments. The nourishing tofu-and-vegetable kenchin-jiru soup uses stock made from shiitake mushrooms and kombu kelp. Kenchin-jiru is now a familiar dish throughout Japan, but it is believed to have originated at the temple, where it was known as kenchō-jiru. Daikon is another staple in the monks' simple meals. (© Harada Hiroshi) Meals always include takuan (pickled daikon). To ensure that no grain of rice is wasted, monks pour hot water into their rice bowls at the end of the meal, using the takuan to gather every last bit of rice. This ritual reflects the Zen reverence for all living things and the practice of reducing waste. Takuan is made from daikon donated to visiting monks each January by farmers in nearby Miura Peninsula. (© Harada Hiroshi) To preserve the sanctity of the meditation hall, visitors are usually prohibited from entering its approach. Exceptions are made each late spring when the tree peonies are in full bloom, however, giving visitors a rare chance to glimpse this sacred site. The path to the meditation hall opens to the public briefly in spring when the tree peonies are in bloom, allowing visitors a rare view of this usually private space. (© Harada Hiroshi) Kenchō-ji offers many ways to experience Zen Buddhism, but none is more important than zazen. During these seated meditation sessions—held every Friday and Saturday—even beginning participants can discover the calming, introspective power of Zen. With one's back straight and breath steady, zazen can ease daily worries and refresh the spirit. Zazen sessions are held from 3:30 pm each Friday and Saturday (arrive 15 minutes early). No reservations required; only the temple entry fee applies. Chair seating for those unable to sit on the tatami flooring is available upon request. (© Harada Hiroshi) (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Temple buildings seen from near the entrance to Kenchō-ji. © Harada Hiroshi.)
Kyodo News
3 hours ago
- Kyodo News
H.K. activist Joshua Wong faces new charge of colluding with foreign forces
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 21:00 | World, All Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, who has been jailed over a subversion case, was newly charged Friday with "conspiring to collude with foreign forces" under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. The 28-year-old, who was sentenced in November to four years and eight months in prison over an unofficial primary election, allegedly conspired with fellow activist Nathan Law to urge foreign countries to impose sanctions or take other hostile actions against Hong Kong and China between July 1 and Nov. 23, 2020. He was also accused of requesting foreign powers or organizations to "seriously disrupt the formulation and implementation of laws or policies" by mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. His case was adjourned until Aug. 8. Law is currently in self-imposed exile in Britain. Beijing introduced the national security legislation to the semiautonomous city in 2020 to criminalize activities such as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign or external elements. The offense of collusion with foreign forces carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Related coverage: 45 Hong Kong democracy activists sentenced to up 10 years Hong Kong 2019 pro-democracy protest song banned as court reverses ruling
