'Meet China': Envoy hails one-click visa app at Washington cultural festival

Visiting China will soon become much easier for US citizens, as the "China Consular Affairs" app will offer visa services in the United States, enabling applications for a Chinese visa "in just one click", a top Beijing envoy said on Saturday.

Speaking at the opening of the 23rd Washington Chinese Cultural Festival, Ambassador Xie Feng extended a warm invitation for Americans to "see China with your own eyes" and experience what he described as a country that is "ancient and beautiful", "modern and innovative" and "open and inclusive".

The annual festival, held under the theme "Meet China", features traditional music, dance, cuisine, and cultural exhibitions, offering a joyful atmosphere for participants to "decode Chinese culture" and "experience a real, dynamic and panoramic China".

Xie highlighted a variety of cultural offerings available at the festival, ranging from Tai Chi workshops and Go games to Chinese calligraphy and food.

These experiences "offer a glimpse into the Chinese perspective on the universe and life, featuring unity between man and nature", while also revealing "resonance between our two cultures," he said.

He highlighted that China remains "open and inclusive", and pointed out that its expanded visa policies now cover 75 countries through unilateral or mutual exemptions and include 55 nations — among them the United States — under a 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

Citing official statistics, Xie noted that in the first half of this year, more than 38 million foreign nationals traveled to and from China, a 30.8 percent year-over-year increase. Of these, 13.64 million entered visa-free, up by 53.9 percent from the same period last year.

The envoy also highlighted the popularity of livestreams like that of American content creator IShowSpeed, whose trip through China earlier this year showed US audiences a "safe, friendly and stunning country".

The "China Consular Affairs" app, he said, aims to further simplify travel: "The American people can apply for a Chinese visa in just one click and embark on a trip to China whenever you like."