Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, December 4 (Xinhua) — Flight CZ6001 departed Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, bound for Moscow on Tuesday. The 135 Chinese on board became the first group of passengers to travel from Urumqi to Moscow since Russia recently introduced a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens, Urumqi Radio and Television reported.
According to Chinese passenger Gao Yunfeng, who frequently travels between China and Russia, the visa-free policy offers significant convenience for tourists, businessmen, and anyone wishing to visit Russia. A direct flight from Urumqi to Moscow takes approximately six hours, saving nearly three hours compared to a flight from Beijing to the Russian capital.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree allowing Chinese citizens to travel to Russia visa-free for stays of up to 30 days until September 14, 2026. The decree comes into effect on the day it is signed—December 1.
Currently, Chinese air carriers China Southern Airlines and Air China operate three passenger flights a week at this airport, respectively, on two direct air routes between Urumqi and Moscow, reported Xinjiang Airport Group Co., Ltd.
According to the Urumqi Border Control Service, this year, the tourist flow between China and Russia through the Tianshan Airport checkpoint amounted to 59,000 people, which is 292 percent more than last year, of which more than 43,000 trips were made by Chinese passengers.
Earlier this year, China introduced a trial visa-free regime for Russian citizens from September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026. Russian citizens holding ordinary passports can visit China visa-free for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanging visits, and transit purposes, provided their stay in China does not exceed 30 days.
An official from the aforementioned agency also reported that since China introduced visa-free travel for Russians on September 15, tourist traffic between the two countries through Urumqi Airport has exceeded 21,000, representing a 224.5 percent increase over the same period last year. Russia's implementation of the visa-free policy will further facilitate human exchanges between the two countries, which will contribute to deeper cooperation in tourism, commerce, education, culture, and other areas, he noted.
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