China's inbound tourism gains pace, visitors highlight secure environment

China's reputation as a safe and secure destination is becoming a major draw for international travelers, injecting strong momentum into the country's high-quality inbound tourism growth.

As China continues to roll out visa facilitation policies, the inbound tourism market has seen a notable recovery. In addition to more convenient payment methods and tax-refund incentives for departing tourists, the country's public security environment has won widespread praise from overseas visitors, providing crucial support for the ongoing improvement of the tourism experience.

"The illumination of the buildings, at night there are police, so that's extra security there. I feel pretty safe," said Rafael De Jesus Hinojosa, a tourist from the United States.

According to data from China's Ministry of Public Health, the number of criminal cases nationwide fell by 12.8 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching the lowest level since the turn of the century.

China now ranks among the countries with the lowest homicide rate, the lowest overall crime rate, and the fewest gun-related cases in the world. It is widely recognized as one of the safest nations globally.

From walking along late at night to leaving parcels unattended -- everyday details that might raise concerns elsewhere -- China's public safety environment offers a relaxed and reassuring atmosphere for long-term international students and expatriate professionals, as well as foreign visitors.

Effective governance and a civic-minded population have helped build a robust social security system supported by comprehensive safety infrastructure, routine street patrols, and rapid emergency response. Yet beyond the hardware, it is the kindness of the Chinese people that adds a unique and heartfelt dimension to the country's safety.

"In China, the trust between people makes me feel safe. The Chinese people are quite enthusiastic, making us feel at home," said Nur Rizqiyah Febriani, an Indonesian student at Chang’an University in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

"When one of my friends came to China for the first time, she didn't know any Chinese. She got lost and started crying. A police officer saw her, immediately came over, and escorted her all the way back to her hotel. It was quite touching," said Sherieva Kseniia, a Russian student at Chang'an University.

China's inbound tourism gains pace, visitors highlight secure environment

Japan's House of Representatives approved a bill to establish a national intelligence committee on Thursday, prompting widespread public questions and concerns. In March, the Japanese government approved a resolution to submit the relevant bill to the Diet, proposing a new intelligence mechanism centered on a national intelligence council with the national intelligence committee serving as its executive body.

According to the bill, the new committee will be tasked with coordinating "important intelligence activities" in areas such as national security and counter-terrorism, as well as "overseas intelligence activities" involving foreign espionage.

The bill also states that the committee's secretariat will "comprehensively coordinate" intelligence work across government ministries and agencies, with the authority to request that they share information.

The bill now moves to the upper house for review.

The bill and a series of reckless moves by the Takaichi administration have fueled deep public concern. Protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the legislation before its passage.

"Right now, the Takaichi administration is trying to drag Japan into war, through actions like promoting weapons imports and exports, provoking China, and failing to offer the apologies it should have made afterward. Against this backdrop, opposition voices are actually quite strong, but these remarks will be regulated. Once such a bill passes, not even opposing voices will be able to speak out. This is something I do not want to see," said a protester.

These grave concerns were widely echoed by other rally attendees, who said they cannot accept a string of radical moves by the Japanese government and the Takaichi administration, including the lifting of the ban on lethal weapons exports and the relentless push to amend Japan's pacifist constitution.

"Takaichi is forcing all of these moves through. Promoting this bill and lifting the ban on arms exports mean heading towards war," said another rally participant.

"I believe amending the Constitution is completely unacceptable. The Constitution is not something that members of the National Diet can revise on a whim, and it should never be revised in the first place," said another protester.

Japanese lower house approves bill to establish national intelligence committee, sparking protests