Political, Economic and Population Geography of Visa-Free Travel Destinations: A Study of China’s Passport Power

A strong passport serves as a tool of soft power, enhancing a country’s image and global influence. According to the latest Henley Passport Index 2024, Singapore, Japan and South Korea possess the world’s most powerful passports, while China ranks 62nd. A total of 77 travel destinations give visa-free access to all Singaporean, Japanese, South Korean and Chinese passport holders. However, 102 travel destinations offer visa-free entry only to Singaporean, Japanese and South Korean citizens, excluding Chinese passport holders. This paper assesses the geographical distribution of the 77 countries or territories granting visa-free access to China. It also examines the economic status of these regions, categorizing them into high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, or low-income economies. Additionally, it explores the geographical distribution of the 102 countries denying China visa-free access and evaluates how many of these are small states with limited geopolitical, economic and diplomatic influence. Findings indicate that some emerging or affluent large states grant visa-free access to China. Also, certain large, geopolitically significant countries, despite being relatively poor, also provide this access, with Pakistan as a notable example. There is, however, a noticeable absence of major Western powers offering visa-free entry to Chinese citizens. Furthermore, BRICS partners like Brazil and South Africa deny visa-free access to China. The paper concludes that China has significant room for improvement to elevate its passport power to match that of Singapore, Japan and South Korea.