"China Shopping" craze emerges as travelers discover abundance of quality products

Overseas tourists in China are embracing the country's ample shopping opportunities, convenient payment technology and instant tax refunds for travelers.

Just a few months after "China Travel" emerged as a trending topic on social media sites amid the country's expanding visa-free policies, discussions of "China Shopping" have taken off as travelers discover the enormous availability of high-quality, fairly-priced made-in-China products.

From food and clothing to smartphones and drones, foreign visitors are discovering that China is a shopping paradise, especially in coastal cities such as Shanghai and Guangdong. 

"WWe're from Italy. We came here for vacation. We are sisters. We bought some tea and t-shirts. Just souvenirs for friends and family," said a tourist.

"We are from Munich, Germany. We bought a lot of clothes, jewelry, and also skin care products," said another traveller.

"I just bought two pairs of shoes. My friends said to me next time when I come to China, I should take my luggage empty and buy lots of things for them," said a tourist named Azeem from Saudi Arabia

Official data shows inbound tourists spent over 94 billion US dollars last year, up over 77 percent year on year.

With convenient mobile payments available and the new refund-upon-purchase policy, international visitors are finding their shopping experience more convenient and rewarding.

Under the new policy, foreign visitors can instantly claim value-added tax (VAT) rebates at tax-free stores, enabling them to reuse the refunded amount in real time for further shopping. Previously, VAT rebates were only available for withdrawal upon departure.

"They give some of your money back. It makes you so happy that you want to buy more," said a foreign tourist. 

Others were impressed with China's ubiquitous QR code-based payment options. 

"The QR code, it's so simple, it's really, really effective. (I used) a little bit of cash here and there, but it's very convenient," said another overseas traveler. 

China announced on Thursday that it will extend its visa-free policy to nationals of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay starting from June 1 this year, with a trial period until May 31, 2026.

The visa policy and tourist-friendly services have also fueled a shopping frenzy among Chinese products with emerging technologies. 

"I love intelligent products that are made in China, it's so convenient to find them here. The quality, the production value, the price, it's a great deal. And we love learning and finding the new products that are made, it's so exciting," said a foreign visitor. 

"China Shopping" craze emerges as travelers discover abundance of quality products

"We do not want to be Americans," Greenland's party leaders announced in a joint statement issued on Friday.

The statement, titled "We Stand Together as One People", said that Greenland's future must be decided by the Greenlandic people themselves, Danish broadcaster DR reported.

"We, as Greenlandic party leaders, wish once again to emphasize our desire for the United States' disregard for our country to come to an end," the statement read.

The party leaders also said that Greenland will continue to cooperate with the United States and other Western countries in the future, but work concerning Greenland's future must be carried out with the Greenlandic people and be prepared on the basis of international law and the Self-Government Act.

A meeting of Greenland's parliament, the Inatsisartut, will convene early to ensure that a fair and comprehensive political debate takes place, the statement said.

The date of the meeting has not yet been determined.

Leaders of all political parties in the Greenlandic assembly signed the statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said a deal will be made for the United States to acquire Greenland in an "easy way" or "hard way", adding that he was "going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not".

Greenland, a former Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, though Denmark retains authority over foreign affairs and defense.

The United States maintains a military base on Greenland.

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland, saying that he would not rule out the use of "military or economic coercion" to achieve that goal.

Greenlandic party leaders say "do not want to be Americans"