Foreign tourists select products at a Huawei flagship store in Beijing, capital of China, April 30, 2026. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

China's commerce ministry said that the "China Haul" trend on overseas social media reflects the rising recognition and appreciation of "Shopping in China."

Yang Mu, head of the market operation and consumption promotion department of the Ministry of Commerce, said the phenomenon, depicting foreigners who share their experiences and joy of shopping in China on overseas social platforms, has also been a result of China's high-standard opening up and the charm of fine traditional Chinese culture.

While commenting on booming inbound consumption at a press conference on Thursday, Yang said product categories favored by overseas consumers are expanding from traditional specialties such as tea and silk, previously the dominant choices, to tech gadgets, Chinese-style wellness products, beauty products and trendy toys.

Shopping has become an important purpose of travel alongside sightseeing for overseas visitors, Yang said, adding that foreign visitors are now visiting more diverse corners of the country in addition to major cities.

China continued to attract more foreign visitors in the third quarter of 2026, with visa-free entries rising 24.1 percent year on year to nearly 9 million. Visa-free entries accounted for 77.5 percent of all entries by foreign nationals during the period, official data showed.

Building on the country's continued expansion of visa-free arrangements, a series of policy measures have also been rolled out to make shopping in China easier, including upgraded tax refund policies.

From January to August this year, nationwide departure tax refund sales increased by about 60 percent year on year, and the number of people receiving tax refunds rose by 300 percent.

At present, there are more than 18,000 tax refund stores nationwide, an increase of 400 percent compared with the end of 2024, official data showed.

Yang said that going forward, the ministry will work to improve the "Shopping in China" experience by enriching high-quality supply, expanding the coverage of departure tax refunds, and improving payment-related services.