Foreign travel to China has notably increased in 2026, with nearly 61.29 million trips recorded from January to August, reflecting a 19.5% rise compared to the previous year. A significant portion of these journeys—23.72 million—were made visa-free, accounting for 77.6% of total entries, with a year-on-year increase of 26.8%. These statistics were presented during a sub-forum at the 2026 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province.
China’s efforts to simplify entry for international visitors include easing visa restrictions, allowing longer stays, and promoting a unilateral visa-free policy for nationals from 50 countries. Additionally, its 240-hour visa-free transit applies to travelers from 57 countries, encouraging cross-border exchanges and boosting tourism.
