China’s updated refund-upon-purchase policy, launched in Shanghai over a month ago, is attracting international tourists who benefit from greater savings on shopping, as local authorities push for more stores to participate in the program.
Since the implementation of the updated policy, Shanghai added over 60 stores that offer refund-upon-purchase services to international tourists.
The city's taxation department said that over the past month, sales generated from this service increased by 86 percent year over year and the total tax refund grew by 77 percent compared with the same period last year.
"The refund-upon-purchase policy has been updated and its threshold was lowered from the previous 500 yuan (about 70 U.S. dollars) to 200 yuan (about 30 U.S. dollars). The change will allow more international tourists to enjoy the benefits of the policy," said Qiao Huijun, deputy general manager at the operation management department of the iconic Shanghai No. 1 Department Store.
To improve tax refund services for international tourists, commercial circles across Shanghai have set up self-service machines, where travelers can print out their tax refund application forms simply by scanning their passport and the QR codes on their receipts.
"It's my first time in Shanghai and I think all of the technology is very fast and easy to use and it's convenient," said a Philippine tourist after experiencing the self-service machine.
As announced by the updated policy, more businesses including popular global brands, souvenir stores, and time-honored brands will be encouraged to offer tax refund services.
"We encourage more stores that offer characteristic Chinese goods, especially those that sell Shanghai specialties, to provide tax refund service to international tourists," said Liu Zhenyu, deputy director at the Second Branch of Shanghai Municipal Tax Service.
In early April, China's State Taxation Administration rolled out a refund-upon-purchase policy. 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.
Shanghai's updated tax refund policy draws international shoppers
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on Wednesday, discussing the recent shooting at the White House press dinner, the situation in Iran and the Ukraine crisis, the Kremlin said.
The Russian president informed his U.S. counterpart of Russia's readiness to declare a truce with Ukraine for the period of Victory Day commemorations.
Trump voiced strong support for the initiative, noting that "the holiday marks our common victory over Nazism in World War II," said Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov after the phone conversation that lasted over an hour and a half.
At Trump's request, Putin described the current situation along the contact line with Ukraine, where Russian troops maintain the strategic initiative and are pushing back enemy positions, said Ushakov.
Putin reaffirmed that the goals of the special military operation will be achieved in any case, the aide said. Russia would prefer this to be achieved through negotiations, for which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskymust respond positively to the well-known proposals that have been repeatedly put forward, including by the U.S. side, he said. Russia has handed over more than 20,000 bodies of the deceased to Ukraine, Putin told Trump, adding that Ukraine has returned just over 500 bodies to Russia since the beginning of 2025.
Among the issues on the international agenda, the two leaders focused primarily on the situation in Iran and the Persian Gulf, according to the Kremlin.
Putin viewed Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran as the right move, as it will help stabilize the situation, Ushakov said, adding that Putin drew attention to the inevitable, extremely dire consequences not only for Iran and its neighbors, but also for the entire international community should the United States and Israel resort to force again.
Russia remains firmly determined to fully support diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a peaceful settlement to the crisis, and has put forward a number of proposals intended to resolve differences over the Iranian nuclear program, said the presidential aide.
Ushakov noted that to this end, Moscow will maintain active contacts with Iranian representatives, leaders of Persian Gulf states, as well as with Israel and the U.S. negotiating team.
For his part, Trump also outlined his assessment of the Middle East situation to Putin.
Putin, Trump hold phone call on issues of Iran, Ukraine
