Visa-free policies see surging inbound travel, tourist spending in Guangdong

South China's Guangdong Province has witnessed a sharp rise in inbound travel and international tourist spending as well as surging traffic at its seaports since the start of this year, as China's expanded visa waiver policies continue to entice a greater number of visitors.

Largely fueled by China's expanded visa-free transit program and optimized tax refund scheme, the number of land crossings made by foreign nationals at Shenzhen City, which borders Hong Kong, has exceeded 2 million entries and exits as of Sunday, data from the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection showed.

Notably, this milestone figure was reached a whole 20 days earlier than in 2025, while representing a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent compared to this date last year.

The number of foreigners entering under China's visa-free program has continued to rise, reaching 597,000 visits, a staggering 52 percent rise over last year and accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total inbound foreign nationals the country has reported so far in 2026.

At Shenzhen's Futian Port, a border crossing connecting the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, a special e-channel has been set up to facilitate the customs clearance process of foreign arrivals.

"I think it's a great convenience not to apply for a visa, and just come in on just a passport," a traveler from Poland told China Central Television (CCTV) at the port.

Like the Futian port, all other border crossings across Shenzhen have also introduced more efficient customs clearance facilitation methods.

At the city's West Kowloon checkpoint, a Scottish traveler said he was impressed by how simple and fast foreign nationals were cleared for entry through just accessing an online declaration system.

"I live in Hong Kong. And I've filled out the online declaration, and it is very easy," he told CCTV.

Staff at the port highlighted the user-friendly nature of the online system.

"This system can automatically input information from the passport's data page, intelligently identify the official language of the issuing country, and translate the text on the arrival card, thus helping travelers understand the required information and instructions. Since its introduction, it has facilitated over 170,000 foreign travelers, slashing the time needed to fill out the forms by an average of 60 percent to 80 percent," said Huang Chun, a staff member at the West Kowloon checkpoint.

In addition to the easier entry requirements for many passport holders, simplified tax refund rules are also drawing an influx of international travelers to Shenzhen.

As a city known as a hub of sci-tech innovation, many visitors are taking the opportunity to come and purchase high-tech products ranging from state-of-the-art drones and robots to wearable smart watches and AI glasses, and experience firsthand how such advanced technologies are reshaping people's everyday lives in China.

"You can order your coffee via drone. You can rider a car without the driver. You can see the cutting-edge technology, obviously, and AI as well. So, I'm very impressed with Shenzhen. I think this is one of the leading cities not just in China, but globally," said the Polish traveler.

"The main products we sell are AI-powered smart devices, which have become very popular among the foreign visitors. On weekends and holidays in particular, large groups of travelers from Hong Kong, Macao, and foreign countries come to buy our gadgets," said Mr. Zheng, who works at a store in Shenzhen's bustling Huaqiangbei Electronics Market, China's largest electronics distribution center.

Meanwhile, in Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou, the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, a major aviation hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, has also seen increased traffic this year, recording nearly 5 million border crossings as of Monday, passing this figure 21 days earlier than last year.

Of this total, the airport handled over 1.9 million entries by foreign nationals, up 34 percent from last year, with the number of visa-free entries exceeding 460,000, surging 75 percent year over year.

Elsewhere, the Port of Nansha, which falls under the Guangzhou Port Group, has introduced an upgraded smart inspection system which is capable of reducing the clearance time for large ships, cutting costs, and greatly improving the daily operations.

Guangzhou is also bracing for a surge in both incoming international visitors and cargo ahead of the upcoming 139th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, which is scheduled to open on April 15. Held biannually, the fair has been the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China and is regarded as the barometer of the country's foreign trade.

Visa-free policies see surging inbound travel, tourist spending in Guangdong

Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya's consistent provocations on Taiwan-related issues have severely violated the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, and China's countermeasures is a just act against the "new militarism" ideology, a scholar on China-Japan relations said in Beijing on Tuesday.

China on Monday announced countermeasures against Keiji Furuya, member of Japan's House of Representatives, for his collusion with Taiwan secessionist forces and other egregious moves, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. The punitive countermeasures against Furuya are a means of deterrence and warning, and China will also take other necessary punitive measures in light of the situation, according to Mao.

Furuya has made a number of sneaky visits to China's Taiwan region, and at a forum there on March 16, he provocatively declared "Japan's determination to protect Taiwan" and even claimed that "changes in Taiwan cannot be allowed to happen."

In an interview with China Central Television on Tuesday, Meng Xiaoxu, a research fellow at the Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Furuya's moves are a direct challenge to established diplomatic norms.

"The speech he made in Taiwan was actually to defend [Japanese Prime Minister Sanae] Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan. He also mentioned the issue of so-called 'military exchanges' between Japan and Taiwan, which apparently goes against the basic consensus on the one-China principle in China-Japan relations," said Meng.

Furuya has served as the chairman of the Japanese Diet Members' Consultative Council with Taiwan since 2018, an organization known for its strong pro-Taiwan secession leanings.

"This council was actually an organization set up in 1973 by some pro-Taiwan elements in Japan after the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations in 1972. Its main purpose was to maintain contact with Taiwan secessionists through alternative channels. Especially after Keiji Furuya became its chairman, the frequency and scale of the organization's visits to Taiwan have exceeded historical levels," said Meng.

Furuya is widely regarded as one of Sanae Takaichi's core aides. Last October, he was appointed chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Election Strategy Committee, responsible for election strategy affairs. Throughout his political career, Furuya has also repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A World War II criminals.

"Keiji Furuya frequently visits the Yasukuni Shrine, and when he visits the Yasukuni Shrine, he never forgets to mention the Taiwan issue. In fact, he is Takaichi's spokesperson and major promoter on the Taiwan issue. He represents Japan's far-right-wing forces, the idea of 'using Taiwan to contain China' is deeply rooted in his mind. We indeed should take resolute measures to counter it. A major reason for the current downturn in China-Japan relations is Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan, and Japan's current collusion with Taiwan, who not only collude but also make provocations. It is Japan that has deviated from the political foundation of China-Japan relations and continuously provoked China's national interests. The historical revisionism led by the Japanese government is getting rampant throughout the country, leading to the current prevalence of 'new militarism' ideology, which is very dangerous," said Meng.

Chinese scholar justifies countermeasures against Japanese lawmaker