Fuzhou works unremittingly to deliver better consumption experience to overseas tourists

Despite hot summer days, flagged pavements in Fuzhou’s Three Lanes and Seven Alleys are welcoming a continuous stream of tourists. An American tourist stopped at a shop selling cultural and creative products, and was captivated by small but delicate cultural and creative stuffs with Fuzhou’s characteristics displayed in the windows. He walked into the shop and picked several pieces. Then he took out his mobile phone, opened Alipay and finished the payment in an instant.

An increasing number of overseas tourists are firstly impressed by unhindered consumption experience in Fuzhou. Over recent years, Fuzhou has taken all steps to grow itself into an international consumption center city, and worked unremittingly to improve its international consumption services in a bid to reshape international tourists’ perception of Chinese cities.

While shopping becomes unhindered, tax refunding is carried out in a more flexible way. From April 1 onwards, overseas tourists can apply for prepaid sums equivalent to the amount of tax refunds in eligible shops or designated sites in accordance with the "immediate tax refund upon purchase" service for tax refunds on departure launched by Fujian Province and Guangdong Province, and subsequently go through all tax refunding formalities in any eligible port in these two provinces. This move can completely break down the barriers between different ports.

An increasingly interwoven consumption network is taking shape. Fuzhou in June rolled out the first opportunity list, which consists of 26 measures. These measures are unequivocally aimed to diversify e-payment services for foreigners in China, deliver more comfortable payment experience to foreign professionals and tourists, and address the “last kilometer” issues on providing payment services for foreigners after entry into China. They include supporting the use of digital RMB App and visual hard wallet, and installing digital RMB handling terminals in places such as airports, hotels and shopping malls so that overseas tourists can have more options to make payment with greater ease.

According to Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Fuzhou now boasts as many as 72 shops eligible for the “immediate tax refund upon purchase” service. and is working to build an international service system in a comprehensive manner. Related policies will be rolled out in the near future to further build a high-quality and international consumption service system across all chains, and create a more convenient and comfortable shopping environment for consumers both at home and abroad. (Wu Huazhen)