BEIJING (Reuters)

China will extend its visa-free policy to nationals of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, putting some of Latin America’s largest economies on equal footing with many European and Asian countries as it sought stronger ties with the region.

The visa-free arrangement will be effective from June 1 for a year, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday during a regular press conference.

Brazil, Argentina and Chile are among the top five biggest economies in their region.

Travel to China has been visa-free for most European countries as well as its neighbours, Japan and South Korea, since last year.

The announcement came after a high-profile forum among Chinese and Latin American and Caribbean officials in Beijing earlier this week, at which President Xi Jinping vowed to boost China’s footprint with a new US$9 billion credit line and fresh infrastructure investment.