by Ofani Eremae
China and Solomon Islands today agreed to permanently waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens.
This follows the signing of an agreement on mutual visa exemption by China’s ambassador to Solomon Islands Cai Weiming and Foreign Affairs minister Peter Shanel Agovaka in Honiara this morning.
“Today marks another milestone with the strengthening of our diplomatic relations with our friend and very important partner the People’s Republic of China,” said Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, who witnessed the ceremony.
“The agreement signifies the deepening and growing people-to-people and cultural relations between our two states,” Manele added.
This initiative, Manele said, will hopefully capture a slice of China’s 130 million tourists to see Solomon Islands as a choice destination.
He thanked China for its prompt response to Solomon Islands’ request for the reciprocal visa exemptions between the two countries.
Solomon Islands, which formalized diplomatic ties with China in 2019, became the second Pacific Island country to sign reciprocal mutual visa exemption with the communist nation.
Others are Fiji and Tonga.
Chinese ambassador Weiming explained that under the terms of the agreement, citizens of both countries holding valid ordinary passports would be exempted from visa requirements for entry or transit of either country, for a single stay not exceeding 30 days, and for a cumulative period of stay not exceeding 90s in any 180-day period.
“This new arrangement will further enhance two-way exchanges and connectivity between our two peoples, lowering the cost and making it easier for business persons and short-term visitors and trainers,” Weiming said.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Colin Beck told In-depth Solomons the agreement will come into effect as soon as all formal and legal requirements are finalized.
“We are hoping all formalities should be done within the next few weeks,” Beck said.
He added China is not the only country that Solomon Islands has mutual visa exemptions with.
“We have similar agreements with many countries, including the European Union, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“We are hoping our two big and closest neighbors – Australia and New Zealand – would agree to similar visa arrangements soon,” he added.
“I think it’s time Australia and New Zealand take the political decision to do it because I think we are supposed to be neighbors; we already have various agreements like PACER-Plus and others that bind us.
“So it’s all about integration. We are developing in other areas like labor mobility, but eventually I think we will have to discuss the issue of reciprocal visas with Australia and NZ.
“In fact, we have raised this issue with them many times before at the highest level.
“At the moment, we issue visas on arrival to citizens of these two countries so what we are asking is please, reciprocate that!”
