499 million border crossings from January to August; visa-free foreign entries up 26.8% year on year
From January to August 2026, border inspection authorities nationwide processed 499 million inbound and outbound travelers, up 8.7% year on year; among foreign nationals entering China, 23.72 million entered visa-free, accounting for 77.6%, up 26.8% year on year.
According to newly released data, inbound and outbound passenger flows at ports nationwide maintained steady growth in the first eight months of 2026, with exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel becoming more active.
Total passenger flow
- Border inspection authorities nationwide processed a cumulative total of inbound and outbound travelers499 million person-times, up 8.7% year on year;
- mainland residents accounted for 242 million person-times, up 10% year on year;
- Residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan made 196 million trips, up 8.9% year on year;
- foreign nationals made 61.287 million trips, up 19.5% year on year.
Visa-free entries account for nearly 80%
Among inbound foreign nationals,23.72 million entered visa-free, accounting for 77.6%, up 26.8% year on year. The continuously optimized visa-free and transit visa-free policies are attracting more and more foreign travelers to choose to travel to China.
Transport vehicles grew in tandem
In the same period, a total of 28.148 million border inspection trips were made by transport vehicles (aircraft, trains, ships, and motor vehicles), up 15% year on year. This included 665,000 aircraft trips, 75,000 train trips, 306,000 ship trips, and 27.102 million motor vehicle trips, with the "passenger" and "cargo" flows of cross-border travel moving in tandem.
Customs clearance convenience continues to improve
To ensure the efficient cross-border flow of personnel and production factors, relevant departments have continued to roll out measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into China. Customs clearance times for Chinese and foreign travelers and transport vehicles have been significantly shortened, and the convenience of customs clearance at ports has continued to improve. It can be expected that, as policy dividends continue to be released, inbound and outbound "traffic" will be better converted into "incremental growth" in culture and tourism as well as trade and commerce.