IN a move aimed at boosting business and tourism, visitors from 51 countries will soon be entitled to spend six days in the Yangtze Delta without first obtaining a visa if they are in transit to other countries.

The government is set to introduce the new 144-hour transit policy on January 30 for international travelers arriving in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou, the Ministry of Public Security said yesterday.

According to the ministry, foreigners availing themselves of the scheme can enter Shanghai (at any port), Nanjing (Lukou International Airport) and Hangzhou (Xiaoshan International Airport) without a visa. They can also leave China from any of these ports.