THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday said effective Jan. 16, the Philippines will allow visa-free entry for 14 days to Chinese visitors. The policy is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to facilitate trade, investments, and tourism, as well as strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China. Filipinos may enter Hong Kong and Macau, China's special administrative regions for a limited period of time. Hainan province also offers 30-day visa free entry to Filipino tourists. In a statement, the DFA said "Chinese nationals traveling to the Philippines strictly for tourism or business purposes may avail of the new visa-free entry privilege." "The said privilege allows for a non-extendable 14-day stay, which is non-convertible to any other type of Philippine visa category," it added. The visa-free privilege will be valid for entry only through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu. Upon arrival, Chinese need to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond the contemplated stay, confirmed hotel accommodation/booking, and a return or onward ticket to the next country of destination. "To ensure that security and public order are maintained while facilitating the entry of legitimate travelers, checks on derogatory records of travelers will continue to apply," the DFA said. "The visa-free entry arrangement will be in effect for one year and will be reviewed accordingly before it expires," the Foreign Affairs department added.