Beijing: The Canadian government will open seven additional visa application centres in China to help serve a growing number of Chinese tourists who are crossing the Pacific to explore Canada.
The two countries confirmed the agreement Thursday in a joint statement that followed the first leg of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official visit to China.
Over two days in Beijing, Trudeau held several meetings with Chinese leaders at the highest levels, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
On Thursday, the government announced that Canadian and Chinese companies signed 56 new commercial contracts and agreements worth $1.2 billion.
The Canadian envoy to China told reporters that until now, visa offices for Chinese tourists were limited to cities where Canada has a diplomatic presence.
"This is an important element that Prime Minister Trudeau is promoting in his visit to China," a media report quoted Guy Saint-Jacques as saying.
"As of this summer, you can fly to Canada from 11 cities here in China, so therefore that’s why need to have more visa application centres."
Saint-Jacques said Chinese tourist travel to Canada rose 24 per cent in the first six months of this year. He noted that now only Americans and Brits visit Canada more than the Chinese.
The number of Chinese tourists who visited Montreal this year has spiked 200 per cent since a direct Air China flight from Beijing was added in September 2015, he added.
QNA
