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Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin discussed making China-Russia visa-free travel permanent at the SCO Summit in Bishkek. The proposal signals deeper bilateral engagement as both sides seek steadier ties amid global uncertainty.
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Bishkek,UPDATED: Aug 31, 2026 20:08 IST
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit 2026 and discussed making the visa-free regime between their countries permanent. The two leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
During the meeting, Putin said Russia was ready to work with China on the proposal if Beijing saw it as useful. Xi, in turn, spoke of stronger bilateral ties and said the two sides should continue to work together amid growing global uncertainty.
According to Russia's state-run TASS news agency, Putin told Xi, "We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful." He said visa-free travel had helped increase tourist flows between the two countries by 43 per cent in the first half of the year.
On December 1, 2025, Putin signed a decree allowing Chinese citizens to enter Russia without a visa for up to 30 days until September 14, 2026, based on the principle of reciprocity. China had earlier introduced a similar visa-free arrangement for Russians. Later, both sides extended the right to enter without a visa until the end of 2027.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that Xi told 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 also said the international landscape was seeing a notable rise in uncertain and unpredictable factors amid accelerating profound changes unseen in a century, but added that the pursuit of peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes by people around the world remained unchanged.
The meeting in Bishkek focused on expanding travel links between the two countries and on wider international and regional issues, with both leaders underlining continued engagement between China and Russia.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 31, 2026 20:08 IST
