No visa waiver for Norway, says China

BEIJING: China has introduced a visa waiver scheme covering many countries including most of Europe. However, one country not included in this list is Norway. This is seen as a deliberate snub because the Norwegian parliament played a role in the selection of Chinese dissident Liu Xiabao for the Nobel Peace Prize of 2011.

Although the prize is determined independently by the Nobel committee, the Norwegian parliament plays a role in the nominations. After Liu got the prize, an angry China said Norway had hurt Chinese people' feelings.

Under the visa waiver scheme, citizens from 45 countries, including all 27 members of the European Union, Iceland and Switzerland, will enjoy the new visa-free treatment, besides visitors from the US, Russia, Japan, Australia and major Latin American countries.

The scheme allows a visitor to stay in China for 72 hours without visa. This will hugely help short term visitors attending business meetings, conferences and exhibitions as well as those transiting through China.

Incidentally, Chinese author Mo Yan, this year's literature Nobel winner, will receive the Nobel prize on Monday, and he has suggested he would not sign a petition by 134 fellow Nobel laureates calling for the release of Liu Xiabao, the Nobel Peace Prize winner serving an 11-year prison term for inciting subversion.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Euq0ha2m53fD/story01.htm

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