China, Australia to issue five-year visas to citizens

Previously, Chinese citizens could apply for visas of up to one year to visit Australia, or up to 10 years for frequent travellers.

Within an hour following the announcement, searches for flight tickets, hotels and other items for Australia surged more than 200 per cent on Chinese travel site Tongcheng Travel, state-backed media The Paper reported.

Since last year, China has been easing entry requirements for visitors from some countries to facilitate travel for business and pleasure, following three years of harsh COVID-19 restrictions that had largely shut its international borders.

During Li's trip to Australia, he said China would also include Australia in its visa waiver scheme, allowing Australians to visit the country for up to 15 days without a visa.