What's New in China for Foreign Visitors Right Now (2026)
Foreigners are flying into China with empty suitcases, filming a monorail through an apartment block in Chongqing and booking cities most people could not place on a map. What is new, how the visa-free rules work, and what to set up at home.
Quick answer: Visa-free entry is reshaping travel to China: China's National Immigration Administration counted 22.91 million entries by foreign nationals in the first half of 2026, up 20.4%, and 77.7% of them came in visa-free. What visitors are filming now is the China haul (electronics in Shenzhen, Chinese fashion and beauty brands in Shanghai, snack shops in Changsha) and Chongqing's layered streets. Before you go: check your passport against the 30-day visa-free list (dated to 31 December 2026) or the 240-hour transit scheme (57 countries since August 2026), link a card to Alipay at home, and install your eSIM before you land.
Key takeaways
- The China haul is the new trend. Visitors arrive with near-empty suitcases and film what they bring home, from AI glasses and drones to local fashion and snacks.
- Chongqing is the most filmed city. The monorail through a residential block at Liziba and Hongyadong at night went global; foreign entries and exits there rose 86.1% this year.
- Visitors are spreading out. Foreign travellers booked flights to 160 Chinese cities in the first half of 2026, and Yiwu bookings jumped 62%.
- Check the dates on your visa-free entry. The 30-day unilateral visa-free arrangement for 40+ countries runs to 31 December 2026; the 240-hour transit scheme covers 57 countries.
- Set up money and data at home. Link a card to Alipay and install your eSIM before you fly; some setup steps are harder once you are inside mainland China.
The first sign is at the check-in desk: a traveller with a near-empty suitcase, flying out for a week. The China haul videos explain the rest, with drones, foldable phones, Shanghai-label trainers and bags of snacks unpacked on camera back home. Add a monorail that runs through an apartment block in Chongqing, and you have the China foreigners are filming in autumn 2026. Here is what is new, what is behind it, and the setup to finish before you board.
Why are so many foreigners going to China now?
Mostly because getting in got easier. China extended its unilateral visa-free arrangement for more than 40 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, to 31 December 2026, with stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, visits and transit (Beijing municipal government, November 2025). On 20 August 2026 China added Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan to its 240-hour visa-free transit programme, bringing it to 57 countries, for travellers passing through to a third destination.
The result shows in the numbers quoted by The Asia Business Daily on 23 October 2026: 22.91 million entries by foreign nationals in the first half of 2026, 77.7% of them visa-free. Before you book into 2027, check whether the 31 December 2026 date for your passport has been extended.
What is the China haul trend, and where do people shop?
The Asia Business Daily, drawing on People's Daily Online coverage from 19 October 2026, describes visitors packing an empty spare suitcase and filming their purchases. The tip doing the rounds is simply to bring an extra suitcase. Shoppers now cite quality and design, not just low prices.
| City | What visitors buy | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen (Huaqiangbei) | AI glasses, drones, foldable phones, robots | Check warranty and that the device works at home |
| Shanghai | Chinese fashion and cosmetics brands | At footwear brand PANE, foreigners are 30% of store visitors |
| Suzhou | Embroidered fans, scented sachets | Light, easy gifts |
| Changsha | Snack shops | One snack-shop video passed 3 million views |
Tax refunds help: China revised its departure tax refund scheme in May, and the instant refund at purchase now covers buys made up to 28 days before departure. In Chongqing, officials say refunds in Jiefangbei and Chaotianmen can take as little as five minutes. Skip it if you travel carry-on only, or if the gadget you want would not be covered by a warranty where you live.
What are visitors filming in Chongqing?
Chongqing's official English portal reported on 1 September 2026 that foreign entries and exits handled there reached more than 716,000 this year, up 86.1%. The images driving it: the monorail passing through a residential building at Liziba, where visitors pose as if eating the train, Hongyadong lit up at night, the stairs of Shibati and the city's stacked terrain.
- Beyond the viral shots: Danzishi Old Street, the Yangtze River cable car, Ciqikou and the Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Food beyond hotpot: the city's own guide points to Wanzhou grilled fish, Qianjiang chicken giblets and Bishan rabbit.
- Further out: the Three Gorges and the Wujiang River's karst country.
Skip it if stairs and steep streets are hard for you: Chongqing is built on hills, and the best views are earned on foot.
Where are visitors going beyond the big cities?
Xinhua, citing Qunar data on 13 July 2026, reported that foreign passport holders booked flights to 160 Chinese cities in the first half of the year. Chongqing grew fastest among the top 10 inbound destinations (+30%), Changsha, Hangzhou, Zhengzhou and Xi'an all grew by double digits, and Yiwu jumped 62% on the back of its wholesale market. Daocheng in Sichuan, usually reached via Chengdu, and Jinggangshan in Jiangxi appeared among inbound destinations for the first time.
Travelling between them is part of the appeal: Europeans in particular are booking high-speed rail tours across several cities, according to Chongqing's portal on 6 August 2026.
How do foreigners pay: Alipay or WeChat Pay?
Both take international cards. Trip.com's Alipay guide (June 2026) recommends doing the setup before departure: register with your home mobile number, add your Visa or Mastercard under Bank Cards, and verify with your passport and a selfie to unlock normal limits. Payments under 200 yuan carry no Alipay service fee; 200 yuan or more carries a 3% fee, and your bank may add its own foreign transaction fee. WeChat Pay offers a similar card link.
Do it at home for a practical reason: your bank's 3-D Secure code usually arrives by SMS on your home number, so keep that SIM in the phone for texts while a travel eSIM handles data. Carry a little cash as a backup.
Why must your eSIM be set up before you land?
Because the moment you need data is the arrival hall: the Alipay check, the ride-hailing pickup, the translation app at the taxi rank. Some installation and activation pages may not load once you are on a mainland network, so install the eSIM fully at home on Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing.
Fizen eSIM is one option. In the Fizen catalog on 26 October 2026, China country plans run on China Unicom over 4G and 5G: fixed-data plans of 1, 2 or 3 GB for 3 to 30 days that slow to 384 kbps once the data is used, and unlimited plans from 3 to 30 days with no speed cap stated. A long trip with maps, translation and video can outgrow 3 GB, which is where unlimited makes sense. On a travel eSIM, mobile traffic may be routed through another country, which is why familiar apps often keep working; access to any particular service cannot be promised and depends on the plan's routing, the network and local law, so check the Package details. Most plans cannot be topped up. For current plans, check the eSIM tab in the app or fizen.io/esim.
A real person in chat helps if something fails on Fizen's side, and a verified fault gets a free replacement for the length of the trip. Changed plans? An unused, not-yet-installed eSIM can usually be taken back; eligibility depends on the plan, check Package details or ask chat. You can pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain in the Fizen app, and new users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the Fizen app's eSIM tab. Fizen is building the stablecoin neobank for people on the move: a wallet you own, investing and travel data in one app.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit China without a visa in 2026?
Citizens of more than 40 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, can stay up to 30 days visa-free until 31 December 2026. Others may qualify for the 240-hour transit scheme, now covering 57 countries, when travelling on to a third destination.
What is the China haul trend?
Foreign visitors travel with near-empty suitcases and film what they buy, from Shenzhen electronics to Shanghai fashion brands and Changsha snacks, helped by easier tax refunds.
Where is the monorail that goes through a building in Chongqing?
At Liziba station in Chongqing, where the monorail passes through a residential block. Visitors film it from the viewing area.
Can foreigners use Alipay in China?
Yes. Register with your home number, link an international Visa or Mastercard and verify your passport. Payments of 200 yuan or more carry a 3% service fee.
Should I install my China eSIM before I travel?
Yes. Install it fully at home on Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing, because some setup pages may not load once you are on a mainland network.
Is the 30-day visa-free entry ending on 31 December 2026?
That is the current end date for the unilateral arrangement. Check official notices for an extension before booking travel into 2027.
Set up your China data before you fly
Install a China eSIM at home on Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing. Pay by card via Stripe (Visa or Mastercard international cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay), or with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain in the Fizen app.
Terms and conditions
- Information only. This article is information only. It is not an offer or a sale, and it is not travel, legal or financial advice. Visa rules, refund schemes and payment terms come from the sources listed and can change; check official notices before you travel.
- For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
- Data-only product. The eSIM is data only. It does not include a phone number or SMS. Most plans cannot be topped up (more data means a new eSIM), so size it for the whole trip.
- Routing and access. Mobile traffic may be routed through another country. Access to particular websites, apps or services cannot be promised and depends on the network, routing location, service provider and local law.
- Facts and availability. Carrier, networks and speed details were checked in the Fizen catalog on 26 October 2026. The shop page carries current plans and prices.
- Independent. Fizen is not affiliated with Alipay, WeChat Pay, Trip.com or the brands and publications mentioned.
Sources
- The Asia Business Daily, the China haul trend captivating foreign tourists (23 October 2026)
- Chongqing municipal government English portal, inbound travel and viral spots (1 September 2026)
- Chongqing municipal government English portal, inbound tourism surge (6 August 2026)
- Xinhua via eHangzhou, visa waivers drive foreign visitors beyond big cities (13 July 2026)
- Henan provincial government, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added to 240-hour visa-free transit (20 August 2026)
- Beijing municipal government, unilateral visa-free policy extended to 31 December 2026 (4 November 2025)
- Trip.com, how to add a card to Alipay for foreigners (2 June 2026)
Visa rules, payment terms and eSIM catalog details checked on 26 October 2026.
