China is expanding the coverage of "refund-upon-purchase" tax policy to improve the experience for international travelers, aiming to spare them the long queues at airports and put money back in their accounts then and there.
Starting from July 1, the service has been available in designated shopping malls in Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Under the new refund-upon-purchase policy, foreign visitors can instantly claim value-added tax (VAT) rebates at tax-free stores, after procedures like uploading their identification documents, the completed tax refund application form and invoices, entering their credit card details, and acknowledging the informed consent items.
According to Russian tourists who selected Chinese tea at a tax refund store, the new instant tax refund policy has significantly enhanced their shopping experience, with streamlining the tax refund process and reducing wait times.
"When we come to China, we always taste Chinese tea. We really like Chinese tea. We have tasted various flavors. They are all very fragrant. We often buy some tea to take back to Russia," said a Russian tourist.
Currently, five comprehensive shopping malls and over 40 brand merchants in the city have been designated as the first batch of participating units for the instant tax refund program.
"It should be noted that for overseas tourists in Dalian who enjoy the instant tax refund service, they must hold a VISA or UnionPay credit card that supports pre-authorization, and it is agreed that they will leave Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport within 25 days after the invoice is issued," said Zhao Xin, a Dalian tax bureau official.
Instant tax refunds give wings to China Travel
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.
In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.
"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.
Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.
Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.
"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.
Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.
Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.
"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.
Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela
