BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Park Eun Jeong, a 46-year-old visitor from the Republic of Korea (ROK), wrapped up her recent trip to China by securing tax refunds for two purchases at an airport in Shanghai -- a peony-and-butterfly shawl and a hand-embroidered silk scarf -- in less than 15 minutes.
"The whole process was very smooth," Park said. "Quite a few people were waiting for manual refunds, so I chose a self-service machine instead."
She scanned her passport and shopping receipts, followed the on-screen prompts, and watched the system swiftly complete the verification. Within minutes, the refund was transferred directly to her WeChat Pay account.
Park is among a growing number of foreign tourists benefiting from China's policy push to improve the shopping experience. Fueled by the expansion of visa-free entry policies and the refinement of departure tax refund services, enthusiasm for both "China travel" and "China shopping" has continued to build.
During the just-concluded New Year holiday, ticket bookings for tourist attractions by inbound visitors jumped 110 percent year on year, according to Chinese travel platform Trip.com Group. Data from the National Immigration Administration showed that during this holiday, cross-border trips by foreign visitors grew by 29.8 percent from the 2025 figure to reach 828,000.
Beyond immersive experiences of the country's natural scenery and cultural appeal, shopping in China is increasingly becoming an integral part of overseas visitors' travel itineraries. The resulting surge in inbound consumption underscores China's growing openness and the appeal of its cities, injecting new momentum into economic growth.
SMOOTHER TRAVEL, EASIER SHOPPING
For Italian photographer Simona Maria Cannone, China's expanding visa-free access has made travel preparations notably simpler. The 30-day visa-free policy made the trip as simple as taking a domestic European flight, Cannone said.
Cannone and her husband recently spent a month in southwest China's Yunnan Province, traveling through Kunming, Dali and Honghe. Getting around in China proved equally convenient. "As Europeans, we are very accustomed to train travel, and Chinese high-speed trains have consistently impressed us with their efficiency and punctuality," she said.
Beyond easier travel, China has optimized its departure tax refund policies by lowering the minimum purchase threshold, expanding the network of eligible retailers, and promoting instant tax refunds that allow overseas visitors to receive refunds directly at retail outlets rather than waiting until departure at airports.
At Hisense Plaza in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Kim Do Hoon from the ROK purchased a handbag at a Bottega Veneta store and received an immediate 2,070-yuan (about 294.5 U.S. dollars) tax refund. "It was much easier than I had imagined," Kim said.
According to Zhang Yu, a manager at Hisense Plaza, nearly 300 brands at the mall, mainly those for accessories, handbags and apparel, now offer instant tax refunds. Overseas visitors are also showing growing interest in Chinese brands and products, including Huawei smartphones and DJI drones.
National data show that in the first 11 months of 2025, the number of overseas travelers applying for departure tax refunds surged 285 percent year on year, while sales of tax-refunded goods and total refunds both rose 98.8 percent. By the end of November 2025, China had 12,252 designated departure tax refund stores nationwide, with more than 7,000 offering instant refunds upon purchase.
NEW GROWTH ENGINE
At a new Chinese-style clothing store along the historic streets of Xuhui District in east China's Shanghai, instant tax refunds upon purchase have been widely used by overseas visitors.
"Our store specializes in new Chinese-style clothing for both men and women," said Tian Ling, director of the Neo Chinese Style flagship store. "We opened in April 2025, and shortly afterward, local tax authorities in Xuhui District contacted us to introduce the instant tax refund policy. We signed up promptly," Tian said.
Located in an area known for its historic houses and streets, the shop has drawn a steady stream of foreign visitors. "Many of them have become our customers and have used the instant tax refund service here," Tian added.
Language barriers have not proven to be an obstacle. Tian said staff members use translation apps to communicate with overseas customers, while a designated tax official from local authorities is available online to provide real-time support.
According to the Communist Party of China Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China will develop more cities into international consumption centers and expand inbound consumption in the coming years.
These efforts are expected to further upgrade domestic commerce, as well as cultural and tourism offerings, and to enhance cities' global visibility and influence, said Liu Xiangdong, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, adding that international experience shows that inbound consumption can also stimulate domestic consumption and investment.
Data from the Ministry of Commerce show that in 2024, spending by inbound travelers accounted for about 0.5 percent of China's GDP, compared with between 1 percent and 3 percent in other major economies worldwide, indicating significant room for China's growth.
To tap this potential, Liu suggested integrating duty-free shops and tax refund outlets with cultural and tourism resources to create "shopping plus tourism" experiences. He also proposed expanding downtown duty-free stores and developing multilingual duty-free shopping apps to improve convenience for foreign consumers.
Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping said China will steadily expand unilateral visa-free access, further optimize tax refund services, and advance the development of cities into international consumption centers.
"We will make it easier for consumers around the world to come to China, travel with greater comfort and enjoy better value when shopping, so they can experience a China that is more open, inclusive, diverse and innovative," Sheng said.
春节假期中国快递包裹投递量日均同比增82.1% 中新社北京2月18日电 (记者 刘育英)中国国家邮政局监测数据显示，今年春节长假期间(2月10日至17日)，中国邮政快递业投递快递包裹6.41亿件，日均投递量与2023年春节假期 中新经纬2月18日电 “长三角铁路”微博18日消息，截至2月17日，2024年春节假期正式落下帷幕，长三角铁路假期8天发送旅客逾1700万人次，日均发送旅客在215万人次以上，较2019年同期增幅超六成。2月18日(正月初九)是假期后的 春节初一至初七逾130万人次访港 内地游客占近九成 中新网2月18日电 据香港《文汇报》报道，据香港特区政府入境处统计，今年年初一至年初七(2月10日至16日)共录得逾130万人次旅客访港，接近2019年春节的水平(140万人 这次参与到日喀则市边境县中学生赴北京参观研学活动的22个同学分别来自亚东、定日、仲巴三个县，他们的祖辈或是世代守边固边，或是举家搬离故乡抵边兴边。 2月21日，到了研学活动的第二天。经过近 检察题材电影《第二十条》春节档全国热映，艺术地诠释了“法不能向不法让步”的司法理念，受到社会各界的广泛关注。最高检微信公众号即日起开设“你评我说·检察官看《第二十条》”专栏，邀请检察人员 中国发展网讯 踩高跷、 “醉关公”、吭秦腔……2月21日，在宕昌县城区街道、时代广场，当地举行了贺新春社火进城展演活动。来自两河口镇的社火队为当地群众献上精彩的演出。上午10时许，社火 。本文链接：Economic Watch: Easier entry, simplified tax refunds draw foreign tourists to shop in Chinahttp://www.sushuapos.com/show-5-84988-0.html
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