Foreign visitors impressed by easier sales tax refunds

Anna Lanny, a 26-year-old tourist from Russia, was delighted to receive her tax refund on the spot after making purchases recently at the upmarket SKP department store in Beijing's Chaoyang district.

"It's crowded here," she said. "I bought a handbag for myself and a pair of shoes for my father, and I got cash back immediately after shopping. There is no need to complete complicated forms. It's quite convenient," she added.

On April 8, China launched a nationwide rollout of a new tax refund policy for international tourists, replacing the traditional refund-upon-departure model with a more streamlined refund-upon-purchase one. Earlier, the policy was piloted in several cities.

The new model allows eligible inbound tourists to receive tax refunds instantly, rather than having to wait until they leave the country.

"Providing overseas travelers with a greater variety of shopping options and improved, more convenient tax refund services will help stimulate inbound consumption and support high-standard opening-up and economic growth," said Chen Binkai, vice-president of the Central University of Finance and Economics.