Breaking news | Beijing raises duty-free limit for mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong to 15,000 yuan
The Chinese government will increase duty-free shopping limits for mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong and Macau to a maximum of 15,000 yuan (US$2,100) per trip, with the measure coming into effect at six border crossings from July 1.
The central government and authorities in Macau and Hong Kong have agreed to increase limits on tourists from mainland China visiting the two cities, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.
A separate joint statement from central government departments said the duty-free limit for mainland Chinese residents aged 18 and over could be raised to 12,000 yuan, and for shoppers at duty-free shops at border crossings the limit could be raised further to 15,000 yuan.
Currently, travelers from Hong Kong must pay taxes ranging from 13 to 50 percent to the mainland Chinese government on purchases over 5,000 yuan per trip, a measure introduced in 1996.
The six junctions targeted for the initial rollout are Luohu, Futian, Shenzhen Bay, the West Kowloon Express Rail Terminus, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Gongbei. Full rollout will begin on August 1.
The paper had earlier reported that Beijing intended to raise the allowance, but that the amount would be “far below” the 30,000 yuan proposed by industry representatives in the city.
But tourism and retail industry players have urged mainland authorities to raise standards since borders reopened after the pandemic, as high-spending tourists tend to favour cultural experiences over pure shopping.
The city’s currency is pegged to the US dollar, making it expensive for these tourists.
More to come…
