Five Chinese provincial regions, including Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan provinces, as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have confirmed full mutual recognition of instant tax refunds.
Effective from July 1, the new policy allows foreign visitors and those from China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions to purchase and claim instant refunds at any designated shop or site in the five approved areas, and they can depart from anywhere within the five regions. It means visitors will no longer have to return to the original purchase site for departure.
The policy is intended to do away with previous regional restrictions and help tourists be more flexible with their itineraries. It is hoped it will promote consumption and expand inbound tourism.
Official data showed that in the first quarter of 2026, China's immigration authorities recorded 185 million entries and exits, with over 72 million coming from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, a 10.3 percent growth year-on-year, and over 21 million from foreign countries, a 22.3 percent year-on-year growth.
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