Ankara: Russia is ready to work with China to make visa-free travel between the two countries permanent, President Vladimir Putin said Monday. "We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent, if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful," Putin stated during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

According to Anadolu Agency, Russia introduced a reciprocal visa-free regime for Chinese citizens in December 2025, allowing them to stay in Russia for up to 30 days without a visa through September 14, 2026. China had previously introduced a similar arrangement for Russian citizens. The two countries subsequently agreed to extend visa-free travel for their citizens through the end of 2027.

Putin noted that the visa-free arrangement had significantly boosted travel between the two nations, with tourist trips increasing by 43% in the first half of 2026. Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui reported earlier that Chinese tourism to Russia had surged by nearly 50% in the first quarter of 2026 following the introduction of visa-free travel.

The initiative to make visa-free travel permanent emerges as Moscow and Beijing aim to deepen people-to-people and economic ties, with tourism being a key component of their broader bilateral cooperation.

During their talks, Putin and Xi lauded the strength of bilateral ties and their cooperation within the SCO. Xi emphasized the continued strengthening of the China-Russia relationship, advocating for closer coordination to promote peace, development, and cooperation. Putin echoed this sentiment, describing the countries' comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation as a model of interstate relations based on sovereignty, equality, and mutual benefit.

Economic ties between the two nations are also on the rise, with notable growth in sectors such as energy, transport, and agriculture. Agricultural trade, in particular, has seen a 34% increase year-on-year.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Vesti media outlet that the talks between the two leaders were conducted in a 'constructive and friendly' atmosphere, highlighting the mutual trust between Xi and Putin, which they use to tackle complex issues. Peskov added that the Ukraine war was 'discussed in passing, tangentially; there was no actual discussion as such.'