关键是条约虽然说只需要护照，但是还需要遵守本国（美国）法律，这就实际上的限制了。
这顺便说明了，AI分析各种法律条约比各种律师大拿好多了。
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If we look only at the time when the treaty was signed and entered into force (1946–1948), the answer is mostly yes in principle—but with an important limitation.
What the treaty actually said
Article II of the 1946 Sino-American Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation stated that nationals of each country could:
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enter the territory of the other country
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travel, reside, and carry on trade
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without requiring travel documents other than a valid passport or official identification
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subject to the host country’s laws and regulations.
So the text literally said that no travel documents other than a passport were required.
That sounds like visa-free entry
On its face, this wording implies that:
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A Chinese national with a valid passport could enter the United States
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without needing additional travel documents like a visa.
But there is a key clause
The same article also states that these rights are “subject to the laws and regulations” of the host country.
That means the treaty did not override U.S. immigration law.
The legal situation in the late 1940s
By the time the treaty took effect (1948):
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Chinese exclusion laws had already been repealed in 1943.
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Chinese immigration was allowed again, but still regulated by U.S. immigration law.
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The U.S. already had visa requirements for immigrants and many travelers.
So in practice:
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Chinese citizens could legally immigrate or travel again, which had been impossible earlier.
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But U.S. immigration procedures (including visas) could still apply.
Simple summary
At the time the treaty took effect (1948):
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The treaty language suggested entry with just a passport.
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However, it explicitly allowed U.S. immigration law to control entry.
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Therefore it did not create an unconditional visa-free entry right.
What it really did:
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End discrimination from earlier exclusion rules
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Guarantee equal treatment and the ability to enter for residence, travel, and trade under U.S. law.
