On 31 March the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and eight partner agencies released the most comprehensive inbound-consumption package since China reopened its borders. The “Policy Measures on Promoting Travel Service Exports and Expanding Inbound Consumption” set out 16 concrete actions across seven themes—from facilitating business visas to improving tax-free shopping and mobile payments. Key mobility-related elements include a pledge to "continuously improve visa policies" for short-term visitors, simplify accreditation for MICE events, and expand the pilot programme that waives fingerprint collection for stays under 180 days. The document also instructs airports and city governments to increase English-language signage, roll out international digital-payment acceptance, and establish fast-track lanes for foreign executives during large exhibitions. MOFCOM stresses that travel services are already China’s fastest-growing service-export segment, leaping 49.5 percent to RMB 394 billion in 2025.
![Nine Chinese ministries unveil 16-point plan to boost inbound consumption and travel services]()
International companies looking to navigate these evolving rules can simplify the process by partnering with VisaHQ, whose China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers end-to-end support for business and tourist visas, real-time application tracking, and expert guidance on the latest MOFCOM policy updates—saving mobility managers time and ensuring compliance.
Yet officials admit pain-points—difficult online payments for UnionPay-less cards, patchy tax-refund kiosks, and complex work-permit renewals—still deter repeat business visits. By bundling visa facilitation with spending incentives, Beijing hopes to lift inbound receipts and encourage multinationals to base more regional meetings in China. For corporate mobility teams the package offers both opportunity and homework. Expanded tax-refund thresholds could cut assignment costs for high-value imports, while streamlined MICE approvals shorten lead times for product launches. HR leaders should monitor local Entry-Exit bureaus, which have been told to publish English FAQ sheets for the new measures within 60 days. Payment-compliance teams, meanwhile, should engage banks on cross-border RMB collection as pilot cities open additional settlement channels. The policy will be rolled out in phases, starting with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hainan Free Trade Port before national adoption by year-end. MOFCOM will publish quarterly dashboards tracking visa issuance times, foreign card acceptance rates and user satisfaction—giving mobility managers rare transparency on China’s inbound environment.
International companies looking to navigate these evolving rules can simplify the process by partnering with VisaHQ, whose China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers end-to-end support for business and tourist visas, real-time application tracking, and expert guidance on the latest MOFCOM policy updates—saving mobility managers time and ensuring compliance.
Yet officials admit pain-points—difficult online payments for UnionPay-less cards, patchy tax-refund kiosks, and complex work-permit renewals—still deter repeat business visits. By bundling visa facilitation with spending incentives, Beijing hopes to lift inbound receipts and encourage multinationals to base more regional meetings in China. For corporate mobility teams the package offers both opportunity and homework. Expanded tax-refund thresholds could cut assignment costs for high-value imports, while streamlined MICE approvals shorten lead times for product launches. HR leaders should monitor local Entry-Exit bureaus, which have been told to publish English FAQ sheets for the new measures within 60 days. Payment-compliance teams, meanwhile, should engage banks on cross-border RMB collection as pilot cities open additional settlement channels. The policy will be rolled out in phases, starting with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hainan Free Trade Port before national adoption by year-end. MOFCOM will publish quarterly dashboards tracking visa issuance times, foreign card acceptance rates and user satisfaction—giving mobility managers rare transparency on China’s inbound environment.
