Australia’s passport just got even more powerful with a major change that will make it easier to travel: What you need to know

Australians can now travel to China without having to pay or apply for a visa, the Chinese Prime Minister announced in Canberra today.

Prime Minister Li Qiang said Australia would be included in the Asian country’s visa waiver program to speed up international travel for jet-setting Australians.

It means Australians can travel to China for up to 15 days for business, tourism and to visit loved ones without having to secure a visa.

Mr Li made the announcement after arriving at Parliament House on Monday for an annual leaders meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and several Cabinet members.

New Zealand was recently added to the visa waiver program in May.

Citizens of Malaysia and 11 other European countries can also travel to China visa-free.

This saves Australians about $110, which was the rough price for a single-entry visa into China.

Mr Li also announced that China and Australia will allow reciprocal multiple-entry visas of up to three to five years for business, tourism and family visits.

Multi-entry visas mean that a person can travel to another country as many times as they wish during the time their visa is valid.

Australians already have the fifth strongest passport in the world, with visa-free access to 190 countries.

During Li’s stay in Australia, he will also meet with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Trade Minister Don Farrell and Resources Minister Madeleine King.

Following the high-stakes discussions, Albanese said such talks are crucial for the bilateral relationship.

“My government has placed dialogue at the heart of Australia’s relationship with China because it is always most effective when we engage directly with each other,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“It is critical for us to engage with each other, given how close we are geographically, how economically interconnected we are, and the deep and enduring bonds between our people.

“Australia and China have renewed and reinvigorated our engagement.”

Mr Li made the announcement after arriving at Parliament House on Monday for an annual leaders meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and several Cabinet members.

The politicians signed four memoranda of understanding on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, climate change, education and research, strategic economic dialogue and cultural cooperation.

The prime minister’s visit to China in November, followed by Li’s current visit to Australia, showed that both countries attach “great importance” to their relationship, the prime minister said.

“This relationship is on the right path of steady improvement,” Mr Li said.

“Prime Minister Albanese and I have had a frank, in-depth and fruitful discussion, which has led to much common consensus.”

Li’s visit is the first by a Chinese prime minister to Australia in seven years and comes after a period of turbulence for the country’s largest trading partner, while recent military incidents in international waters have threatened the diplomatic thaw.

Both pro- and anti-China protesters have gathered across Canberra with flags and bunting on street corners near Parliament.

Prime Minister Li Qiang arrived in South Australia on Saturday, where he visited the Chinese pandas at Adelaide Zoo before strolling through a local winery.

As part of his visit he will also visit the Australian Resources Power Station in Western Australia.