You need to apply for a visa unless you meet the following visa exemption requirements:
 
1. According to bilateral agreements, citizens of some countries (List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption between the P.R. China and Foreign Countries) holding appropriate passports may enter China without a visa. 

2.Citizens of  Singapore holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa for personal matters such as tourism, family visits, business, etc., and stay for no more than 30 days.

Citizens of Thailand holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa, with a single stay of no more than 30 days and a cumulative stay of no more than 90 days within 180 days.

Nationals of 38 countries including Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering into China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit. They can stay in China for no more than 30 days without visa.The visa exemption deadline is December 31, 2025.

3. Foreigners holding ordinary passports of the countries having diplomatic relations with China and on a tour to Hong Kong or Macao, and participating in group tours to the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) Delta Area for a stay of no more than 6 days organized by the travel services legally registered in Hong Kong or Macao do not need to apply for a visa. The Zhu Jiang Delta Area refers to the administrative area of the following cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, and Huizhou. For going on a tour to Shantou, the aforementioned group is required to stay within the administrative area of Shantou and leave China from there directly.

4. Foreigners who have confirmed onward tickets and seats on international flights and directly transit through China and stay for no more than 24 hours within the airport boundaries do not need to apply for a transit visa. However, anyone desiring to go beyond the airport boundaries temporarily should obtain permission from the immigration authorities at the airport.

5. Citizens of 54 countries with valid international travel documents and air tickets for a connecting flight with confirmed date of flight and seat for a third country (region) can apply for the 240-hour transit visa exemption at 60 ports in China. For details, please click the link here .

6. Since February 9th, 2024, citizens of Indonesia, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, etc., can enter Hainan Province for commercial activities and trade, visit and exchange, and family reunions, receiving medical treatment, attending exhibitions,taking part in sporting events and other needs(excluding long-term working and studying) for up to 30 days without a visa. Foreign nationals who need to enter Hainan for the aforementioned purposes can enter through any open port in the province and remain in the province's administrative area during their stay periods (subject to the relevant provisions if applicable to a mutual visa exemption agreements signed with China). Each entry period is calculated from 00:00 on the day following the day of entry. The existing policy of 30-day visa-free trips to Hainan for citizens of the aforementioned countries remains in effect.

7.At the Guilin Airport Port in Guangxi, a 6-day entry visa exemption policy is implemented for tour groups holding ordinary passports from 10 ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines). Tour groups of more than 2 people from 10 ASEAN countries can be organized, received and arranged by travel agencies registered in my country to enter the country as a whole from the Guilin Airport Port without a visa. The whole group activities in the administrative area of ​​Guilin City shall not exceed 6 days, starting from the day after entry, and the whole group shall exit from the Guilin Airport Port.

8. Foreigners holding a valid Foreigner's Permanent Residence Card of the PRC or Residence Permit for Foreigners in the PRC may enter China without a visa.

9. Foreigners holding an APEC Business Travel Card may enter China without a visa.