Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, will extend its visa-free period for foreigners transiting through the city from 72 hours to 144 next year, local authorities said Saturday.

　　中国西南部四川省省会成都市有关部门周六表示，该市明年将延长外国人过境免签期限，从72小时延长至144小时。

　　People of 53 listed nationalities with valid travel documents and onward travel booked for within 144 hours are eligible for the visa-free policy, which will become available from January 1, 2019.

　　53个国家的公民只要持有有效的旅行证件，并在144小时内预订了往返旅行的行程，即可享受免签证政策。该政策将于2019 年1月1日生效。

　　The new arrangement is an extension and optimization of the current 72-hour visa-free transit policy, according to the exit and entry administration of the Sichuan provincial public security bureau.

　　据四川省公安局出入境管理局表示，这项新政策是对现行72小时免签过境政策的延伸和优化。

　　Besides Chengdu, Fujian Province’s coastal city of Xiamen, Shandong Province’s coastal city of Qingdao, Hubei Province’s capital city of Wuhan, and Yunnan Province’s capital city of Kunming will also implement the policy on New Year’s Day.

　　除成都外，福建省沿海城市厦门、山东省沿海城市青岛、湖北省省会武汉和云南省省会昆明也将在元旦实施该政策。

　　Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have been offering the visa-free service, allowing transit passengers to stay up to six days in total.

　　上海、浙江、江苏和京津冀地区一直提供免签证服务，允许过境旅客最多逗留六天。