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Foreigners in China
ChinaDiplomacy

Foreign visitor numbers yet to reach China’s pre-pandemic levels, data shows

  • 12 months after strict Covid-19 border controls were lifted, overseas tourists and residents are being tempted with relaxed visa rules
  • But some foreign residents who endured three years of severe restrictions say they are leaving, despite the incentives

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The latest data from China’s National Immigration Administration shows international tourist numbers still in recovery, while foreign residents are at 85 per cent of 2019 levels, before Covid-19. Photo: AP
Orange Wang
A year after China fully reopened after its strict Covid-19 controls, the number of foreign residents in the country is 15 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, according to official data released on Thursday.
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National Immigration Administration (NIA) spokeswoman Zhang Ning said the number of foreign nationals residing in China “has rebounded to 85 per cent of the level at the end of 2019”.

The NIA data also showed that Chinese authorities issued a total of 711,000 residency permits of various types to foreign nationals living within the country in 2023.

When asked about the 2024 outlook for overseas visitors, Zhang told a press conference on Thursday that “the number of foreigners coming to China is expected to continue to increase steadily”.

The Chinese economy is expected to undergo a continuous recovery and the nation will broaden its openness to the global community, she said.

The NIA figures landed in the midst of China’s latest bid to woo more foreign businesspeople, students and tourists, with Beijing stepping up its policy moves over the past five months to encourage visitors.

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