China reports 460 million border crossings from January to August 2025

From January to August 2025, China's border inspection agencies processed a total of 460 million entries and exits, marking a 14.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced during the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province.

Of the total crossings, 220 million were residents from mainland China, reflecting a 15.4 percent rise; 180 million were residents from Hong Kong, Macao Special Administrative Regions, and Taiwan, experiencing an increase of 11.2 percent. Meanwhile, the number of foreign nationals crossing the border reached 51.27 million, a significant 27.8 percent increase over the previous year.

Among these foreign entries, 15.89 million individuals benefited from visa-free access, accounting for 62.1 percent of all foreign arrivals, representing an impressive surge of 52.1 percent year-on-year.

Border inspection agencies oversaw 24.48 million transportation vehicle inspections, a 16.2 percent rise compared to last year. This number included 662,000 flights, rising by 17.1 percent, 71,000 train trips (up by 4.9 percent), 294,000 ship voyages (a 3.8 percent increase), and 23.45 million motor vehicles, reflecting a 16.4 percent growth.

The NIA noted that as China's borders continue to open, there is a noticeable increase in both outbound travel by Chinese citizens and inbound arrivals of foreigners, driven by purposes such as business, tourism, work, study, and residency.

Consequently, the overall volume of border crossings at the nation’s ports has seen steady growth.

Looking ahead, the NIA plans to progressively enhance institutional openness in immigration management, refining policies and services that support key national and regional strategies.

Their focus will be on facilitating international exchanges and trade while streamlining border clearance procedures to make travel and cooperation between Chinese and foreign nationals more convenient.