369 Million Border Crossings in First Half of the Year Hit a New High; Visa-Free Foreign Entries Up 30% Year-on-Year
In the first half of 2026, border inspection authorities nationwide processed 369 million inbound and outbound trips, up 10.8% year on year and a record high; foreign nationals entering China totaled 22.914 million, of whom 77.7% entered visa-free.
The latest data shows that in the first half of 2026, China's inbound and outbound passenger flows continued to climb, with tourism and business exchanges becoming even more active.
Overall Data
- Inbound and outbound travelers inspected nationwide369 million person-times, up 10.8% year on year, a record high;
- Of these, mainland (mainland China) residents made 176 million trips, up 10.7% year on year;
- Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents made 147 million trips, up 8.1% year on year;
- foreign nationals made 45.906 million trips, up 20.6% year on year.
The visa-free policy has had a notable boosting effect
Inbound foreign nationals reached22.914 million person-times, up 20.4% year on year; among them17.815 million visa-free foreign entries, accounting for 77.7% of foreign inbound visitors, up 30.6% year on year. Visa-free entry has become the primary way for foreigners to visit China, and the policy's driving effect is very clear.
Main Source Markets
In the first half of the year, the top ten countries for inbound foreign travelers were:South Korea, Russia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Japan, Mongolia, Australia, together accounting for about 62% of the total number of inbound foreign visitors. Asian neighboring markets remained strong, while long-haul markets in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania steadily recovered.
Port facilitation continues to upgrade
Alongside the growth in passenger flow came a series of optimizations in customs clearance and services: piloting online registration for foreigners staying outside hotels in 7 provinces including Hebei; supporting Shanghai International Cruise "cruises to nowhere" and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao yacht free travel; implementing the "cooperative inspection, single release" clearance model at the new Huanggang Port; and launching "face + iris" smart channels for vehicle clearance at some land ports adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao. The improvement in clearance efficiency has made cross-border travel smoother.