This photo shows a tax free shop in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, May 2, 2025.（Photo: Xinhua)

The number of departure tax refund stores in China has exceeded 7,200, up 80 percent from the end of 2024, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday.

The total amount refunded jumped nearly 100 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, He Yadong said.

China has seen a surge in inbound consumption following the rollout of the refined policy covering department refunds, the latest effort to encourage foreign tourist spending. 

On April 27, the country announced measures to optimize the policy, including lowering the minimum purchase threshold for refunds, raising the cash refund ceiling, expanding the network of participating stores, and broadening the range of products covered.

International tourists in China can now claim a refund if they spend at least 200 yuan ($27.87) at a single store in a single day and meet other requirements, with refunds payable in multiple forms, including mobile, bank and cash payments. The upper limit for cash refunds has been raised to 20,000 yuan.

To boost consumption, localities are promoting consumption based on their own characteristics, with Shenzhen city, South China's Guangdong Province rolling out exhibitions featuring smart products such as artificial intelligence glasses and smart homes, and South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region organizing events to promote the sales of fruits from ASEAN countries, the spokesperson said.

The commerce ministry and other government agencies will enrich supplies, improve the level of services and come out with more shopping scenarios to allow tourists to better feel the vitality of China's vibrant consumption market.

In an effort to promote consumption, the MOFCOM and relevant departments launched the "Shopping in China" campaign at the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo in April.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's retail sales reached 24.55 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, up 5.0 percent year-on-year, an acceleration of 1.5 percentage points from a year earlier. Domestic consumption contributed 52 percent of GDP growth, reaffirming its position as the primary driver of the economy.

Global Times