Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister, Hadja Lahbib, revealed on Friday that Belgian citizens might soon be relieved from the requirement of obtaining a visa for short trips to China.

The announcement came after discussions with Chinese officials during a diplomatic mission led by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

At present, only five European Union countries – France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Spain – enjoy the privilege of visa exemption for short stays in China. However, Belgium is eager to join this list, and Lahbib expressed optimism after talks with her Chinese counterparts.

"It would be a significant step forward. One could certainly say that Belgium is part of this family of countries that are already benefiting from this," Lahbib stated.

The Belgian Foreign Affairs minister engaged with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and President Xi Jinping during the diplomatic mission, indicating that the Chinese leadership is receptive to the Belgian request. The potential exemption would mark a positive development for Belgian citizens traveling to China. Photo by Peter Dowley from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wikimedia commons.