China and Singapore have reached an agreement on granting visa-free entry for citizens from respective countries for a stay up to 30 days, starting on Feb 9. Similarly, holders of ordinary passports issued by Singapore will be exempted from visa requirements for a stay of up to 30 days in the PRC.

Under the mutual visa exemption agreement, Singaporeans and Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports can enter China or Singapore without a visa for no more than 30 days if they are travelling for business, sightseeing, or visiting friends and family. Travelers who plan to study, work, settle down, or attend an interview in China/Singapore may still need to apply for relevant visa.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the agreement, to take effect on the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, is undoubtedly a New Year gift for the people of the two countries. It will further boost people-to-people exchanges and advance China-Singapore relations and cooperation in various fields, he added.

The Straits Times reported Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong saying that the agreement would "enable more people-to-people exchanges, thereby fortifying the bedrock of our bilateral relations".