On July 25th, the Promotional Conference on Business and Travel Activities in Guangdong for Foreigners was held in Guangzhou. The event introduced Guangdong's business environment, cultural tourism, tax refunds on departure, and convenient payment options, focusing on the five entry ports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Jieyang. The aim is to make business and travel activities more convenient for foreigners to Guangdong.

"In the first half of this year, we issued 5,193 temporary 144-hour entry permits at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Over 5,000 people from more than 40 countries entered Guangdong thanks to the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, a 60.7% increase compared to the same period in 2019," said Zhou Yingqiang, Director of the Guangzhou Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection General Station and Second-Level Inspector.

Currently, the five ports in Guangdong where the 144-hour visa-free transit policy is applicable are Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport, Guangzhou Nansha Port, and Shenzhen Shekou Port. Citizens from 54 countries holding valid international travel documents and onward tickets with confirmed dates and seats within 144 hours can transit through these ports to a third country (or region) without a visa and stay in the Guangdong administrative area for up to 144 hours.

"The 144-hour visa-free transit policy is indeed commendable. It greatly simplifies international travel procedures and promotes business and tourism development in China, especially in Guangdong Province. Since the policy came into effect, we have seen a rapid increase in the number of Hungarian tourists coming to Guangdong," shared Horváth, Acting Consul General of the Consulate General of Hungary in Guangzhou. "I came to China 11 years ago and witness the transition from cash payments to card payments and now to mobile payments, experiencing firsthand the convenience for foreigners in China. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, and recently a direct flight route between Guangdong and Budapest was launched, bringing the two countries closer. I believe this will be an important milestone."

At the promotional event, the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province selected several Guangdong's most distinctive pedestrian streets and business districts, along with Guangdong cuisine, to allow foreign friends to appreciate the rich heritage of Lingnan culture. These included Beijing Road, Yongqingfang Pedestrian Street, Paifang (Memorial Arch) Street in Chaozhou, and Xiaogongyuan ("Little Park") in Shantou. For business discussions and exchange activities, they recommended citywalk in business districts like Tianhe Road in Guangzhou, MixC Shenzhen Bay, and Nanwan Huafa Mall in Zhuhai, as well as pedestrian streets like Foshan Lingnan Tiandi and Foshan Creative Industry Park.

To make payments more convenient for foreigners in Guangdong, the province has designated 82 key business districts, with 95.3% of key merchants now accepting foreign cards. In Guangzhou, 17 key business districts have been designated, with 98.5% of key merchants accepting foreign cards.

A representative from the Guangdong Branch of the People’s Bank of China explained the policies and preferential measures for payment convenience. Currently, there are 211 foreign currency exchange points and 6,844 bank outlets for foreign currency cash exchange in Guangdong. Airports, ports, and star-rated hotels have full coverage of foreign currency exchange facilities, offering 24-hour exchange services.

In terms of mobile payments, foreigners in China can now add their overseas cards to their local e-wallets or domestic mobile payment tools like WeChat and Alipay. Additionally, 803 service outlets for foreign bank accounts have been established in key areas frequented by foreigners.

Source :Lingnan on the Cloud

外籍人士144小时玩转广东攻略

7月25日，外籍人士来粤商旅活动推介会在广州举行。会上，围绕广州、深圳、揭阳共5个入境口岸，相关人员宣传推介广东商圈环境、文化旅游、离境退税、便捷支付等商旅消费资讯，旨在让外籍人士在粤商旅活动更加便利。

“今年上半年，我们在白云机场共签发了144小时临时入境许可5193份，有40多个国家5000多人次通过144小时过境免签政策入境广东，相比2019年同期增长了60.7%。”广州出入境边防检查总站处长、二级巡视员周英强说。

目前，144小时过境免签政策的5个广东适用口岸为：广州白云国际机场、深圳宝安国际机场、揭阳潮汕国际机场、广州南沙港、深圳蛇口码头。54国公民持有效国际旅行证件和144小时内确定日期及座位的联程客票从上述口岸过境前往第三国（地区），可免办签证在广东省行政区域内停留不超过144小时。

“144小时过境免签政策确实令人称道，大大简化了国际游客的出行，促进了中国尤其是广东省商旅发展。自从政策生效后，我们看到越来越多匈牙利游客来到广东，人数呈快速增长。”匈牙利驻广州总领事馆代总领事霍雷分享道，“我11年前来到中国，见证了从现金支付到银行卡支付再到移动支付的改变，充分感受到了外国人士在中国境内的便利体验。今年恰逢中匈建交75周年，最近广东和布达佩斯之间还开通了直飞航线，拉近了两国的距离，我相信这会是一个重要的里程碑。”

推介会上，广东省商务厅挑选出了若干条广东最具特色的步行街商圈和广东美食，让外国朋友领略岭南文化的千年底蕴。其中包含了北京路、永庆坊步行街、潮州牌坊街及汕头小公园4条特色步行街；广州天河路、深圳湾万象城及珠海南湾华发商都等city walk商圈，考虑到外国友人进行商务洽谈及交流活动，还推荐了佛山岭南天地及佛山创意园步行街。

为使来粤境外人士支付更加便利，广东省共划定82个重点商圈，已有95.3%的重点商户支持受理外卡。其中，广州市划定17个重点商圈，已有98.5%的重点商户支持受理外卡。

中国人民银行广东省分行相关负责人对支付方面的便利化政策和优惠措施进行解读。目前广东外币代兑点211个，外币现钞兑换银行网点6844个，机场、口岸、星级酒店等重点涉外场景能够实现外币兑换设施全覆盖和24小时兑换。

在移动支付方面，通过“外包内用”与“外卡内绑”，允许外籍来华人员使用本地区电子钱包或使用微信、支付宝等境内移动支付工具进行支付，同时在重点涉外区域建立803个外籍人员银行账户服务网点。　　

文 | 记者 杭莹 刘星彤
译 | 赵凡