China announced and implemented on Wednesday a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.

周三，中国宣布并实施了一项政策，允许外国旅游团通过中国海岸线上的所有邮轮港口免签证入境。

Foreign tourist groups comprising two or more individuals and organized or received by China's domestic travel agencies can enter the country visa-free via cruise ship ports in 13 cities and stay for up to 15 days, according to a statement issued by the National Immigration Administration.

根据国家移民局发布的一份声明，由中国国内旅行社组织或接收的个人组成的外国旅游团体可以通过13个城市的邮轮港口免签进入中国，最多可停留15天。

All members of each group should travel together on the same cruise ship to the next port until the vessel leaves China, with activities limited to coastal provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as Beijing.

The visa-free entry ports are in Tianjin, Shanghai, Dalian in Liaoning province, Lianyungang in Jiangsu province, Wenzhou and Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, Xiamen in Fujian province, Qingdao in Shandong province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Haikou and Sanya in Hainan province, and Beihai in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

免签证入境口岸位于天津、上海、辽宁省大连、江苏省连云港、浙江省温州和舟山、福建省厦门、山东省青岛、广东省广州和深圳、海南省海口和三亚以及广西壮族自治区北海。

The NIA also announced that seven cruise ports in Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beihai have been designated as visa-free transit ports for nationals from 54 countries.

国家移民局还宣布，大连、连云港、温州、舟山、广州、深圳和北海的7个邮轮港口已被指定为来自54个国家的免签证过境港口。

The move facilitates the transfer and departure of foreign travelers from these ports via cruise ships under China's visa-free transit policy, the statement noted.

该声明指出，根据中国的免签证过境政策，此举有利于外国旅客通过游轮转移和离开这些港口。

"The full implementation of the visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups arriving by cruise ships will support the development of the cruise industry, attract more foreign tourists to China, and enhance exchanges between Chinese and foreign nationals," said Mao Xu, director of the NIA's Foreigners Management Department.

“对乘坐邮轮抵达的外国旅游团全面实行免签政策将支持邮轮业的发展，吸引更多外国游客来华，并增进中外国民之间的交流，”国家移民管理局外国人管理司司长毛旭说。

Shanghai has been piloting China's visa-free policy for cruise tourists since October 2016, leading to a 10 percent average annual increase in the number of cruise passengers.

自2016年10月以来，上海一直在试行中国的邮轮游客免签证政策，导致邮轮乘客数量平均每年增长10%。

Buoyed by the success in Shanghai, the NIA decided to expand the policy to other coastal cities, promoting the intensive development of cruise-related industries in these areas, Mao said.

毛说，在上海成功的鼓舞下，国家移民管理局决定将该政策扩大到其他沿海城市，促进这些地区邮轮相关产业的密集发展。

To make cruise port entry and exit procedures more convenient, the NIA has introduced a range of measures facilitating customs clearance for international passengers, easing crew disembarkation and promoting cruise ship maintenance, among other services, he said.

他说，为了更方便邮轮港口的出入境程序，国家移民管理局推出了一系列措施，促进国际乘客的清关、方便船员上岸和促进邮轮维护等服务。

Based on cruise ship schedules and passenger numbers, immigration officers will handle border inspection procedures in advance and adopt a convenient clearance certification code to ensure smooth disembarkation and boarding, Mao said.

毛说，基于邮轮航程表和乘客数量，移民官员将提前处理边境检查程序，并采用方便的通关认证代码，以确保乘客顺利下船和登船。

Foreign passengers on the same cruise trip will be exempt from fingerprint collection and stamping of entry and exit permits. Simplified procedures will also be applied to international crew members, he said.

在同一邮轮旅行中的外国旅客将免受指纹采集和出入境许可证的盖章。他说，简化后的程序也将适用于国际船员。

During international cruise ship maintenance, immigration authorities will provide services around the clock for handling permits for boarding and mooring foreign vessels. They will also issue nationwide permits for personnel engaged in cruise ship supply, maintenance, inspection and operational services, he added.

他补充说，在国际游轮维修期间，移民局将提供全天候服务，处理外国船只的登船和停泊许可。他们还将为从事游轮供应、维修、检验和运营服务的人员颁发全国许可。

International cruise transportation to and from Chinese ports fully resumed in September 2023, and China handled over 107,000 cruise passengers last year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

据交通运输部称，2023年9月全面恢复，去年中国接待了超过10.7万名邮轮乘客。

Zhu Zhenyu, deputy director of the ministry's Water Transport Bureau, said there are currently 21 international cruise ships operating at Chinese ports.

水利部副局长朱振宇表示，目前有21艘国际游轮在中国港口运营。

"The cruise transportation market is thriving, and passenger numbers are expected to steadily recover and increase in 2024," he said.

他说：“邮轮运输市场正在蓬勃发展，预计到2024年，乘客数量将稳步恢复并有所增加。”

Shi Zeyi, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, noted the positive growth of the inbound cruise tourism market, saying that from February to April, over 14,000 tourists from over 40 countries and regions visited China aboard cruise ships.

文化旅游部国际交流合作局副局长石泽义指出，入境邮轮旅游市场的积极增长，从2月到4月，来自40多个国家和地区的14000多名游客乘坐游轮访问了中国。

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other departments are streamlining the entire inbound tourism process, addressing issues and optimizing visa and customs policies, improving tourism services, and enhancing the management of the shopping environment at cultural and tourism sites, Shi said.

他说，文化和旅游部和其他旅游部门正在简化整个入境旅游流程，解决一些问题，优化签证和海关政策，改善旅游服务，并加强对文化和旅游景点的购物环境的管理。

To address payment difficulties faced by foreign tourists, the ministry, the People's Bank of China, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and the National Cultural Heritage Administration issued a notice in April requiring all 5A- and 4A-rated tourist destinations, national- and provincial-level tourist resorts, national-level tourist culture streets, and three-star to five-star hotels to accept domestic and international bank cards.

为解决外国游客面临的支付困难，外交部、中国人民银行、国家外汇管理局、国家文化遗产管理局于4月发出通知，要求所有5A、4A级旅游目的地、国家、省级旅游胜地、国家级旅游文化街道、三星级至五星级酒店接受国内和国际银行卡。

Major cultural and tourism places should maintain manned ticket windows and support cash payments, the notice said. Currency exchange services at cultural and tourism venues with a large number of foreign visitors should be enhanced, and mobile payment services should also be optimized, it added.

通知指出，主要的文化和旅游场所应保持人工售票窗口并支持现金支付。通知还提到，应该加强有大量外国游客的文化和旅游场所的货币兑换服务，并优化移动支付服务。