"Laowai" in China | Openness fuels surge in China's inbound visitors, strengthens people-to-people exchanges-Xinhua

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Developing Chinese cities into international consumption centers and boosting inbound consumption are key components of China's new five-year development blueprint.

From the grandeur of the Temple of Heaven to the misty peaks of Zhangjiajie and the dazzling skyline of Shanghai, China's appeal is drawing more international travelers than ever.

Dutch tourists David (L, front) and Pim (R, front) pose for photos with Chinese tourists at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

German tourists Martha (R) and Sofie taste Tanghulu, a popular Chinese winter snack of crispy sugar-coated hawthorns, at Qianmen Street in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

South Korean tourists dressed in Hanfu, a traditional Chinese attire, pose for photos in Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming)

Italian tourists visit the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 2, 2026. (Photo by Wu Yongbing/Xinhua)

A foreign tourist poses for photos at a sightseeing platform near the Liziba Station of Chongqing Rail Transit in Yuzhong District of southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)

Foreign tourists take photos at a sightseeing platform of Liziba in Yuzhong District of southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)

South Korean tourists pose for group photos at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 1, 2026. (Photo by Wu Yongbing/Xinhua)

Fueled by China's expanding visa-free policies, inbound travel surged in 2025, with visa-free entries jumping 49.5 percent year-on-year to nearly 30.1 million, official data showed.

The National Immigration Administration said on Wednesday that international visitors made over 82 million crossings in total, marking a 26.4 percent year-on-year increase.

Latest data from the administration show that in 2025, China expanded its unilateral visa-free access, allowing citizens of 48 countries to enter without a visa, while the number of countries offering reciprocal visa exemptions rose to 29. Additionally, travelers can now take advantage of a 240-hour visa-free transit policy at 65 entry points.

Austrian tourist Christian Edlinger (L) and his wife Heidi Reiss-Edlinger pose for a photo at the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2026. It was their fourth visit to China. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming)

Dutch tourists Bastian Brinksma (L), Tim Tonkes (C) and Odin Schrama pose for photos in Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming)

Spanish tourist Jose Vicente Guerrero (R, front) and his son Ander Guerrero pose for a photo at West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

Foreign tourists walk out of Suifenhe Railway Station in Suifenhe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Jan. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

And it's not just travel that's being upgraded. China is streamlining the tourist experience from tax refunds to mobile payments. Since April 2025, a revamped departure tax refund system has made shopping more rewarding, lowering the minimum spending threshold, increasing refund limits, and expanding the list of eligible stores. Greater facilitation contributes to the consumption boom. Data from the State Taxation Administration showed that the number of designated tax-refund stores nationwide had reached 12,252 by the end of last November.

A police officer of the Beijing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection provides information to foreign tourists at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 9, 2026. (Photo by Zu Guobao/Xinhua)

An inbound passenger is pictured after passing border inspection procedures at Haikou Meilan International Airport in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. One month into the island-wide special customs operations, Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) in south China has made initial achievements in passenger convenience. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Italian tourist Chiara Manuzzi (R, front) enquires tax refund policies at a shopping mall in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Foreign tourists select products at Hongqiao market in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Openness also extends to people-to-people bonds. Training programs and vocational projects such as the Luban Workshop have helped cultivate local professionals in renewable energy, digital economy and smart agriculture.

Thai students from Suan Dusit University learn cabin safety management during an exchange activity at the Civil Aviation University of China in Tianjin, north China, Jan. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

China is presenting global audiences with a true and full picture of itself. As visa-free access bridges distances, China, with much to be explored and a lot more to offer, continues to captivate hearts and minds worldwide.