China's tax refund program for overseas tourists resulted in refunded sales and actual rebate amounts surging by 120 percent and 130 percent year on year respectively in 2024, a senior official of the State Taxation Administration said on Sunday.
The optimized departure tax refund system significantly facilitated international visitors, said Xie Wen, director of the Goods and Services Tax Department under the administration at a press conference in Beijing.
In 2024, sales of goods eligible for tax refunds and the actual refund amounts increased by 1.2 times and 1.3 times year on year respectively. To optimize the payment environment, the STA worked with the People's Bank of China to equip tax-refund stores with POS machines for foreign currency cards, enabling direct payment settlement with foreign cards, Xie said.
For service innovation, the instant-refund-upon-purchase initiative has been actively promoted nationwide after piloting in selected regions, while local authorities were encouraged to establish centralized refund points to provide overseas tourists with more diverse and convenient refund options, he said.
"To enhance the smart processing of tax refunds, a comprehensive management information system was built to cover tax-refund stores, agencies, customs and tax authorities, enabling electronic data transmission and verification, with refund efficiency improved. For targeted policy promotion, a dynamic map of tax-refund stores was created for overseas tourists, along with a Tax Refund Guide available in 10 languages including English, German, French, Japanese and Korean. Promotional videos and short clips were produced and screened in urban business districts, cultural sites and tourism attractions, and entry ports frequented by international visitors to enhance the precision and coverage of policy publicity," Xie said.
The robust growth in tax refund transactions reflects China's ongoing efforts to position itself as a premier global shopping destination while stimulating domestic consumption through inbound tourism. Authorities plan to further refine the system to maintain this positive trajectory in 2025.
Tax refund boosts inbound tourism spending
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
