China sees surge in international visitors amid visa-free expansion

International travel to China has seen a significant increase due to the expansion of visa-free entry policies. Data from the first eight months of 2026 shows that foreign border crossings reached approximately 61.29 million, representing a 19.5 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.

Visa-free entries have played a crucial role in this growth. In the January-August period, 23.72 million entries were made under visa-free arrangements, accounting for 77.6 percent of total entries. This specific category of travel saw a 26.8 percent increase year-over-year.

China currently offers unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 50 countries and provides 240-hour visa-free transit opportunities to citizens of 57 countries. These measures aim to facilitate cross-border interaction and revitalize tourism by allowing international visitors to stay longer and travel more extensively within the country.