Episode Details

China plans to accelerate the availability of tax refund stores for eligible overseas visitors to about 10,000 shops nationwide this year, almost tripling the current number, as the country continues to boost inbound tourism and consumption, a senior official said.

商务部高层官员表示，中国计划加速扩大面向符合条件境外旅客的退税商店覆盖范围，预计今年内将全国范围内的退税商店增至约1万家，这几乎是目前规模的三倍，此举旨在持续提振入境旅游和消费复苏。

By the end of last year, China had more than 3,700 stores nationwide available for tax refunds for overseas visitors, adding more than 600 stores over the previous year, the Ministry of Commerce said.

商务部表示截至去年底，全国已开设可办理境外旅客退税业务的商店逾3700家，较上年新增600余家。

Promoting inbound consumption serves as an important lever to help vigorously boost consumption, and it holds great growth potential. It will also help offset the impact of additional tariffs to a certain extent, said Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, during a conference on Thursday in Beijing.

商务部副部长盛秋平周四在北京举行的会议上指出，促进入境消费是大力提振消费的重要支点，这一领域蕴藏着巨大的增长潜力。同时他强调，推动入境消费将在一定程度上对冲加征关税政策带来的影响。

China will continue to optimize the layout of tax refund stores, encourage various regions to set up such stores in major commercial complexes, shopping streets, tourist attractions, resorts, cultural and museum venues, airports, passenger ports, hotels and other places where overseas tourists gather, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Commerce and five other departments in late April.

根据商务部等六个部门四月末联合印发的指导意见，我国将持续优化退税商店的布局，鼓励各地在境外游客集中的核心商业区、特色商街、旅游景区、度假区、文博场馆、口岸枢纽、酒店住宿等重点场所增设退税网点。

The country has lowered the starting point for tax refunds from 500 yuan ($69.3) to 200 yuan and doubled the limit for cash refunds from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan.

国家将单笔退税起退门槛从500元（约69.3美元）降至200元，现金退税额上限从1万元提升至2万元。

In addition, the country will relax the registration requirements for retailers to become tax refund stores, allowing newly opened shops that have been established for less than a year to apply to become tax refund shops, and the filing time has been shortened to within five working days, the guideline said.

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