Does visa-free transit work if you fly to China from Russia and fly back?

No, you cannot fly from Russia to China, spend a few days there (up to 240 hours under the new visa-free rules) and return without a visa. Such a route is not considered transit, so you need to apply for a tourist visa to China in advance. Read all about visa-free transit through China under the new rules in detail here - https://nashaplaneta.net/besopasnost/novye-pravila-tranzita-cherez-kitaj-10-dnej-bez-vizy

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