Cyprus to open 5 visa centers in China

Cyprus is going to open visa application centers in five Chinese cities to make it more convenient for tourists going to the Mediterranean island, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades announced on Friday.

The Cypriot government has already made an agreement with an agency to set up visa centers in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Wuhan and Chengdu, which will "facilitate all those who would like to get a visa for Cyprus in the easiest way and the fastest way", Anastasiades told China Daily in Beijing.

Cyprus currently has no consulates in China, and applicants have to go to the Cypriot embassy in Beijing to get a visa.

The governments of the two countries are still discussing the issue, and the five visa centers are expected to be established "very soon", he said.

After the "first stage" of setting up the five visa centers, the Cypriot government will increase the number of visa centers to 15 in China in a few months, he added.

Anastasiades made the remarks while being interviewed by Chinese media during the Asian Political Parties' Special Conference on the Silk Road, which opened on Wednesday and runs through Friday.

Angelos Loizou, chairman of the Cyprus Tourism Organization, said late last month that by setting up more visa centers in China, the organization aims to attract around 400,000 Chinese tourists to Cyprus, according to a report of the Cyprus News Agency.

Currently around 1,000 Chinese tourists visit Cyprus every year. The United Kingdom is the main tourist market for Cyprus, followed by Russia, Greece, Sweden, Germany and Israel, according to the organization.

Speaking on cooperating with China's Belt and Road Initiative, Anastasiades said that the geographic location of Cyprus is an advantage for the country to play an important role in connecting Asia, Europe and North Africa.

The Cypriot president has also expressed an optimistic outlook on Chinese shipping company COSCO's bid for taking up sections of Limassol's commercial port operations. COSCO is among over 70 companies that had responded to an invitation in June for the commercial development of Cyprus' main port of Limassol.

"Without being able to guarantee that COSCO is going be this successful bidder, I have to say that there are great chances due to its experiences," Anastasiades said.

Cyprus could work together with China in many sectors, including trade, tourism, technological innovation and education exchanges, he added.