Jilin Province in China updates tax refund service for tourists
Jilin Province in northeastern China has updated tax refund services for foreign tourists amid growing spending by visitors. As ECNS reports, local authorities introduced additional measures under the Tax Refund 2.0 program aimed at stimulating inbound consumption.
Increase in the number of transactions
As of Tuesday, there were more than 81 stores in the province where tax refunds could be processed. According to the Jilin Provincial Department of Commerce, the average monthly number of transactions this year increased by 277% year-on-year, while the value of refunded taxes rose by 170%.
The department also launched a multilingual digital map of stores participating in the program. Through the Jilin Tax Refund mini-program on WeChat, foreign visitors can access real-time navigation, review tax refund rules and a list of participating merchants, and use guides for tax-refund shopping.
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New refund rules
In July, the department released a plan to further stimulate inbound consumption and introduced updated measures under the Tax Refund 2.0 program. Tax refund applications for purchases worth up to 10,000 yuan, or about $1,400, are subject to random checks.
The province is also promoting cross-regional recognition of instant tax refunds and has extended the permitted pre-departure period for foreign travelers to 28 days. Tourists who purchased goods at stores in other Chinese provinces can receive tax refunds at border checkpoints in Jilin.
According to ECNS, purchases made outside Jilin account for 8% of transactions confirmed for tax refunds at the province's border checkpoints. Such purchases were made at stores in 15 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Xi'an.
