SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's pilot visa-free policy will lure more Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian country and boost local tourism, Cambodian Minister of Tourism Huot Hak said here on Saturday.

The government on Tuesday approved the pilot program of visa exemption for Chinese nationals traveling from China.

This exemption allows a 14-day stay during a four-month period from June 15 to Oct. 15, 2026. They will not be required to pay any fees and will only need to complete an electronic arrival card. Multiple entries will be permitted during the trial period.

"The government's decision marks a historic milestone in the development of the Cambodia-China tourism sector," Hak said in a speech at a Cambodia-China music and cultural show in the cultural province of Siem Reap.

"It will pave the way for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, and will definitely attract more Chinese tourists to Cambodia," he added.

The minister said the move will give a boost to the development of Cambodia's tourism industry, which is one of the major pillars supporting the country's economy.

Cambodia received a total of 1 million Chinese tourists during the January-October period of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 44.6 percent, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

China is the second-biggest source of foreign holidaymakers to Cambodia after Vietnam, with Chinese tourists accounting for 21 percent of the 4.75 million international tourist arrivals to the kingdom during the first 10 months of this year.

Hak said the future of Cambodia's tourism industry is inseparable from the inflows of Chinese tourists and investors.

"Cambodia is fully prepared and ready to welcome the return of Chinese tourists and investors," he said. Enditem