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，中國宣布並實施了一項政策，允許外國旅遊團通過中國海岸線上的所有郵輪港口免簽證入境。

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.

根據國家移民局發布的一份聲明，由中國國內旅行社組織或接收的個人組成的外國旅遊團體可以通過13個城市的郵輪港口免簽進入中國，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.

免簽證入境口岸位于天津、上海、遼甯省大連、江蘇省連雲港、浙江省溫州和舟山、福建省廈門、山東省青島、廣東省廣州和深圳、海南省海口和三亞以及廣西壯族自治區北海。

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.

國家移民局還宣布，大連、連雲港、溫州、舟山、廣州、深圳和北海的7個郵輪港口已被指定爲來自54個國家的免簽證過境港口。

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.

該聲明指出，根據中國的免簽證過境政策，此舉有利于外國旅客通過遊輪轉移和離開這些港口。

"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.

“對乘坐郵輪抵達的外國旅遊團全面實行免簽政策將支持郵輪業的發展，吸引更多外國遊客來華，並增進中外國民之間的交流，”國家移民管理局外國人管理司司長毛旭說。

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月以來，上海一直在試行中國的郵輪遊客免簽證政策，導致郵輪乘客數量平均每年增長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.

毛說，在上海成功的鼓舞下，國家移民管理局決定將該政策擴大到其他沿海城市，促進這些地區郵輪相關産業的密集發展。

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.

他說，爲了更方便郵輪港口的出入境程序，國家移民管理局推出了一系列措施，促進國際乘客的清關、方便船員上岸和促進郵輪維護等服務。

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.

毛說，基于郵輪航程表和乘客數量，移民官員將提前處理邊境檢查程序，並采用方便的通關認證代碼，以確保乘客順利下船和登船。

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.

在同一郵輪旅行中的外國旅客將免受指紋采集和出入境許可證的蓋章。他說，簡化後的程序也將適用于國際船員。

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.

他補充說，在國際遊輪維修期間，移民局將提供全天候服務，處理外國船只的登船和停泊許可。他們還將爲從事遊輪供應、維修、檢驗和運營服務的人員頒發全國許可。

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.

據交通運輸部稱，2023年9月全面恢複，去年中國接待了超過10.7萬名郵輪乘客。

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

水利部副局長朱振宇表示，目前有21艘國際遊輪在中國港口運營。

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

他說：“郵輪運輸市場正在蓬勃發展，預計到2024年，乘客數量將穩步恢複並有所增加。”

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.

文化旅遊部國際交流合作局副局長石澤義指出，入境郵輪旅遊市場的積極增長，從2月到4月，來自40多個國家和地區的14000多名遊客乘坐遊輪訪問了中國。

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.

他說，文化和旅遊部和其他旅遊部門正在簡化整個入境旅遊流程，解決一些問題，優化簽證和海關政策，改善旅遊服務，並加強對文化和旅遊景點的購物環境的管理。

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.

爲解決外國遊客面臨的支付困難，外交部、中國人民銀行、國家外彙管理局、國家文化遺産管理局于4月發出通知，要求所有5A、4A級旅遊目的地、國家、省級旅遊勝地、國家級旅遊文化街道、三星級至五星級酒店接受國內和國際銀行卡。

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，主要的文化和旅遊場所應保持人工售票窗口並支持現金支付。通知還提到，應該加強有大量外國遊客的文化和旅遊場所的貨幣兌換服務，並優化移動支付服務。