"Laowai" in China | China enhances policies to improve travel and shopping experiences for international visitors

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-05-03 23:05:30

Tourists from Australia pose for photos at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, May 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- China introduced a new package of measures aimed at further optimizing the departure tax refund policy and boosting inbound spending on April 27.

This photo shows a tax free shop in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)

The measures, announced by the Ministry of Commerce and five other government departments, include lowering the minimum purchase threshold for refunds, raising the cash refund ceiling, expanding the network of participating stores and widening the range of products available.

A staff member provides the departure tax refund service for a tourist from Russia at a shopping plaza in Beijing, capital of China, April 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

A staff member (L) provides the departure tax refund service for a tourist from South Korea at a shopping plaza in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, April 11, 2025. (Photo by Guo Rui/Xinhua)

An inbound tourist receives a tax refund at a tax refund service point at Zhangyuan, or Zhang's Garden, in east China's Shanghai, April 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

The latest move to optimize the departure tax refund policy builds on a series of measures China has introduced to facilitate visas, payments, and accommodation for overseas tourists, further demonstrating the country's commitment to opening up.

An instruction of "one order, one bag" model is pictured inside a DJI drone store at a MixC shopping mall in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, April 30, 2025. To further streamline the departure tax refund process for overseas travelers, Shenzhen launched a new pilot program featuring a "one order, one bag" model at three designated malls on April 27. Under the scheme, purchases and departure tax refund forms are packed together in sealed bags, enabling customs officials to quickly verify the packaging's authenticity.
At the same time, a nationwide shift on departure tax refunds from a refund-upon-departure mode to a refund-upon-purchase mode enables foreign visitors to claim value-added tax rebates instantly. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

A staff member from Tianjin branch of the Bank of China (BOC) provides Russian tourist Anna with payment services guide at the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in Tianjin, north China, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Zeng Juerui/Xinhua)

A staff member from Tianjin branch of the Bank of China (BOC) provides New Zealand tourist Jason with payment services guide at the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in Tianjin, north China, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Zeng Juerui/Xinhua)

A staff member from Tianjin branch of the Bank of China (BOC) provides Indonesian tourist Fabiona with payment services guide at the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in Tianjin, north China, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Zeng Juerui/Xinhua)

Docent Hu Yanan (R, front) provides English service for Egyptian tourist Khaled Metwally Abdelhay Mohamed (L, front) at the Yellow Crane Tower, or Huanghelou, a landmark in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, April 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

People walk past the Currency Exchange in Wangfujing station of Beijing Subway Line 8 in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

A man exchanges banknotes at the Currency Exchange in Wangfujing station of Beijing Subway Line 8 in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

China's visa policies have been continuously adjusted and optimized. Currently, the country grants unilateral visa-free entry to 38 countries and has extended the transit visa-free period to 240 hours for travelers from 54 countries. In 2024, visa-free entries reached 20.12 million visits, marking a year-on-year increase of 112.3 percent, according to official data.