Beijing ports see surge in passenger traffic amid summer peak

Beijing's ports are experiencing a sharp rise in passenger traffic this summer, driven in part by expanded visa-free policies, according to the Beijing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.

As of Wednesday, more than 13 million people had entered or exited Beijing's ports this year, up 18.7% from the same period last year. Foreign travelers accounted for a growing share of this flow, with 3.68 million foreigners passing through — a year-on-year increase of nearly 36% and making up 28.3% of all passengers.

Inbound foreign travelers reached 1.88 million, up 36.6% year on year. Nearly half of them — about 1 million — entered under visa-free policies, double last year's figure for the same period and representing 52% of all inbound foreign travelers.

China has reached unilateral visa-free entry and mutual visa exemption agreements with 75 countries. Moreover, citizens from 55 countries can enjoy up to 240 hours of visa-free transit, with access through 60 entry ports across 24 provincial-level regions.

During the peak summer travel period between July 1 and Aug. 13, passenger traffic through Beijing ports totaled 2.95 million, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2024.

Officials expect the trend to continue during ongoing and upcoming major conferences and events. The 2025 World Robot Conference, the World Games in Chengdu, and the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services will likely draw even more international visitors.