China supports the global truce during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, urging dialogue to bridge divides, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
According to Guo, China has endorsed an initiative proposed by Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, which calls for observing the Olympic Truce during the Winter Games -- a truce that would cover conflicts including those in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"The Olympic Truce tradition has a long and profound history, embodying humanity's shared aspiration for peace and mutual assistance. This aligns with the United Nations' founding mission of maintaining international peace and security. The current world situation is neither stable nor peaceful, with regional security hotspots keeping flaring up. China supports using the Olympic Truce resolution as an opportunity to resolve differences through dialogue, replace confrontation with cooperation, enhance mutual understanding, and safeguard global peace and development," siad Guo.
China voices support for global ceasefire for 2026 Winter Olympics
The number of overseas tourists claiming China's departure tax refund surged 285 percent year on year in the first 11 months of 2025, according to data released by the State Taxation Administration on Monday.
In the same period, the sales volume of goods eligible for departure tax refunds and the amount of tax refunds both increased 98.8 percent, according to the data. By the end of November, the number of tax refund stores catering to international visitors in the country had reached 12,252, including over 7,000 "instant refund" stores.
The departure tax refund measures, which enable overseas tourists to claim back value-added tax on eligible purchases made at designated tax refund stores before leaving China, are translating growing inbound travel flows into consumption momentum and emerging as a fresh driver for inbound tourism spending, the administration said.
China has introduced a series of measures since April to optimize its tax refund system for overseas visitors. Tax authorities nationwide have improved processing efficiency and enabled cross-region refund services, making the procedure more convenient and thus boosting tourists' spending.
The country first implemented the departure tax refund policy for overseas travelers in 2015. Since then, the scale of departure tax refunds has continued to grow year by year, benefiting an increasing number of international travelers.
Departure tax refund applications in China surge 285 pct in Jan-Nov
