China welcomes more foreign tourists: spokesperson

BEIJING -- China welcomes more foreign friends and hopes they will unlock their own unique "China Travel" experience, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a press conference when responding to a query about the rising number of foreign tourists visiting China.

Recently, there has been growing interest in China in the international tourism market, and the number of flights to China and hotel searching and booking volume have seen a significant increase compared with last year.

"We are glad to see more and more foreign friends visit and explore China," said Lin.

He mentioned that he has seen quite a few video clips taken by foreign friends strolling in Chinese cities and towns, visiting parks, tasting local delicacies, taking boat tours and enjoying folk custom performances, which seem to have become quite trendy for foreign tourists in China.

The videos they shared about unique experiences in China, such as learning square dancing, exploring tasty food in night markets, taking photos with giant pandas and riding driverless taxis, have gained millions of likes from foreign viewers, Lin said.

China has rolled out a 15-day visa-free entry policy for 15 countries, including France, on a trial basis, and expanded the coverage of its 144-hour visa-free transit policy to 37 ports of entry, Lin said.

He added that China now allows visa-free entry for all foreign tourist groups traveling by cruise ship, and have improved mobile payment, ticket purchase at scenic spots and other supporting services. These measures have made foreigners' traveling, working and living in China easier and allowed them to fully experience the charm of China as they ride the new trend of "China Travel."

"We welcome more foreign friends to visit as many Chinese cities and scenic spots as possible to experience a more open and beautiful China and share their first-hand experience with the rest of the world," said the spokesperson.