(Phnom Penh, 18th) On the 15th, Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism issued an “Announcement on the Four-Month Trial of Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists.” During the trial period from June 15 to October 15, 2026, Chinese citizens will not need to apply for a visa in advance or pay any visa fees. They only need to fill out the electronic arrival card to enter, and may stay for up to 14 days per entry. Chinese netizens have ridiculed: "Tourism elsewhere costs money, but a trip to your country may cost your life."
Following the Philippines' announcement that its visa-free travel policy for Chinese citizens for tourism or business has taken effect, Cambodia has also issued a notice granting visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. The notice explains that eligible Chinese citizens, whether arriving directly from China or transiting through a third country, can all enjoy visa-free entry directly, with no need to pay any relevant fees. Cambodian officials emphasized that this measure was introduced as part of the government’s focus on reviving the tourism industry, hoping to boost the country’s appeal in the regional tourism market by lowering entry thresholds.
According to Jiemian News, however, Chinese netizens are not buying it, with some commenting, “They must have an ulterior motive,” “This really gets to my heart,” “Apart from scams, what else is Cambodia really known for? Neither food, entertainment nor shopping is any good. What’s the use of visa-free entry! Is anyone still naive enough to believe in ‘high-paying jobs’ and risk their life?”, “The new park is still under construction. If there isn’t a supply of suitable ‘piglet parts’ by then, it’ll be a real problem,” “Graduation season—targeting students, revolting,” “Until telecom scams are eradicated, only fools or the mentally ill would go. The government should issue a notice: ban visits to scam-ridden countries until scams are eradicated.”
Some netizens even made puns about body organs, posing seven questions about going to Cambodia: “First, what’s the ‘kidney’ reason to go?” “Second, what do you ‘liver’ for?” “Third, who are you ‘spinal’ to go with?” “Fourth, when is the ‘kidney’ time to go?” “Fifth, how many ‘lungs’ do I need?” “Sixth, how ‘long’ (intestine) will you stay?” “Seventh, are you going to play with all your ‘heart’?”