"Boosting Shopping and Tourism"... China Expands Tax Refund Convenience for Foreign Tourists

Expansion of Tax Refund Stores and Eligible Items
Implementation of Policies to Improve Service Quality

Amid the escalating US-China trade war and efforts to boost domestic demand, Chinese authorities have decided to comprehensively improve the tax refund system for foreign tourists' shopping.

According to the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, on April 28, Chinese authorities including the Ministry of Commerce announced policies to enhance shopping convenience for foreign tourists. These measures include expanding the number of stores and items eligible for tax refunds, adjusting the minimum purchase amount, and improving the overall level of service.

A crowd preparing to travel abroad. This photo is for illustrative purposes to aid understanding of the article and is not directly related to the content.

On April 26, the Ministry of Commerce, together with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Administration of Customs, the State Taxation Administration, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, issued a notice titled "Optimization of the Tax Refund System for Departing Tourists and Expansion of Foreign Consumer Spending," outlining these key changes.

Previously, foreign tourists were required to make purchases of at least 500 yuan (approximately 100,000 won) to receive a value-added tax refund upon departure. However, under the revised policy, the minimum purchase requirement has been lowered to 200 yuan (approximately 40,000 won).

Additionally, the cash refund limit has been raised from the previous 10,000 yuan (approximately 2 million won) to 20,000 yuan (approximately 4 million won).

Sheng Qiuping, Vice Minister of Commerce, emphasized that this policy will encourage more foreigners to shop and travel in China, and will also help promote both traditional Chinese products and new Chinese trends to international audiences.