The Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday announced that starting on Jan. 30, China will implement its first cross-region visa-free transit policy in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The new legislation will give foreign tourists and businessmen from 51 countries up to 6 days (or 144 hours) of no visa requirements, granting they travel via Jiangsu province, Zhejiang province and Shanghai. However, of note, travellers must possess a valid international travel document as well as booked tickets with confirmed dates and destinations.

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Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing have been offering a 72-hour visa-free policy since 2013, so that tourists can stop over and tour even without a visa. Before, the point of entry inspection was only limited on airports. This year, authorities have expanded and included ports and railway stations.

According to Lu Hanlong, a professor at the Institute of Sociology of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the initiative aims "to transform the city into a regional leader with global influence." Implementing a visa-free policy is not only attracting foreign tourists to stop over, but also allowing them get a better grasp of the local culture.

To accommodate the potential influx of tourists, the local government offices along the cities of the Yangtze River Delta region have implemented a public transportation system that enables tourists to hop from one attraction to another.

Additionally, high-speed trains allow tourists to get from one city to another in just a matter of an hour (Nanjing to Shanghai) or two (to Hangzhou).

In a statement, Jennifer Hammond, a public relations officer from the United States, explained that the extended policy "will definitely attract more foreign people who take business trips to China to apply this method to spend a few more days traveling around as a bonus."

Tagschina, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, 6-day visa-free policy