BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- China is moving to make shopping easier and more convenient for overseas travelers, as the country further optimizes its departure tax refund measures in a fresh attempt to expand inbound consumption.
The Ministry of Commerce and other authorities have issued a notice on further optimizing departure tax refund measures and expanding inbound consumption. The new policy package includes measures such as wider coverage of tax refund stores, random inspections for small-value refund applications, paperless processing and improved refund-upon-purchase services.
The move comes as China has seen growing momentum in inbound travel and shopping, supported by expanded visa-free policies, easier payment services, departure tax refund facilitation and the "Shop in China" campaign.
In 2025, sales involving departure tax refunds nearly doubled from the previous year, while inbound consumption and travel service exports rose nearly 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively, Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping told a press conference on Monday.
"As China opens its door wider to the outside world, more foreign friends are coming to China, bringing broad space for the development of inbound consumption," Sheng said.
Since China rolled out the first round of optimized departure tax refund measures in April 2025, the number of travelers applying for refunds has increased 367 percent year on year, while sales of tax-refunded goods and the amount refunded have both risen 90 percent, said Xie Wen, an official with the State Taxation Administration.
Tax authorities have also promoted the refund-upon-purchase model, under which travelers can receive cash refunds on the spot after buying goods, a practice that helps encourage spending, Xie said.
Sheng said the latest policy package, described as the 2.0 version of China's departure tax refund policy, builds on last year's measures and focuses on making the process accessible, faster, more digital and standardized.
Under the new measures, China will encourage more eligible stores to register as departure tax refund stores and support localities in expanding such services in key business districts, tourist attractions, markets and ports with large numbers of overseas travelers, Sheng said.
From July 1, 2026, customs authorities will conduct random physical inspections of tax refund application forms involving sales of less than 10,000 yuan (about 1,461 U.S. dollars); meanwhile, forms involving sales of 10,000 yuan or more will still be inspected one by one, a move expected to significantly reduce waiting time at ports.
The policy will also improve refund-upon-purchase services by allowing travelers who receive instant refunds after shopping to complete departure tax refund procedures at ports outside the place of purchase.
Travelers using refund-upon-purchase services will have 28 days to leave China and complete the relevant departure tax refund procedures, with the time limit standardized nationwide, Sheng said, adding that agencies including Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China have also developed self-service tax refund machines for use in shopping malls.
China's five international consumption center cities, namely Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing, have become preferred destinations for international travelers, said Yang Mu, an official with the Ministry of Commerce.
In 2025, the five cities accounted for one-third of inbound foreign visits to China and two-thirds of national departure tax refund sales, Yang said.
Big cities are adapting the policy implementation to their individual strengths, with Beijing aiming to broaden its departure tax refund network and double the number of tax refund stores by the end of 2027.
Shanghai will put self-service query machines and smart verification machines into use at Pudong and Hongqiao airports, while Shenzhen will bring more locally made products, including drones, jewelry, smartphones and smart wearables, into tax refund stores.
Next, the ministry will work with other departments to guide localities in improving working mechanisms, innovating measures and ensuring policy implementation, so that overseas visitors can enjoy a more convenient shopping experience in China, said Sheng. ■
