China recorded over 4.36 million inbound tourist arrivals in the first half of this year, a 5.4-fold increase year on year, according to the data from the country’s National Immigration Administration (NIA).

According to a report from China Central Television (CCTV), the National Immigration Administration (NIA) has stated that, during the same period, the number of international travelers entering China through the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policies increased fourfold compared to the previous year.

Under the 144-hour visa-free policy, visitors from 54 countries including the United States, Canada, and Britain can enter China for up to 144 hours exempted from visa requirements for the purpose of short-term activities such as travel and business visits.

Travelers are increasingly taking advantage of the policy to visit China, immersing themselves in the country’s culture, exploring its streets and landscapes.

In addition to the expanded visa-free policies, China has also launched a series of other measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals and their stay in China, including relaxed visa application requirements and simplified procedures, exemption of border checks for certain transit passengers and more convenient mobile payment services for foreigners.

“Next, we will further improve and optimize the visa-free transit policy, actively explore the ways to coordinate visa-free durations, increase the number of visa-free ports, expand the areas where foreign nationals can visit, and add new eligible countries.

We will work with relevant departments to continuously enhance the convenience for foreign visitors in China. We welcome more foreign friends to come to China,” said He Feng, director of the visa and travel management division of the NIA.

The policy was incepted in January 2013, when a 72-hour visa-free transit policy was implemented at China’s select cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing.

In January 2016, Shanghai and neighboring provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang implemented a 144-hour visa-free policy for visitors from 51 countries, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in the country’s north has adopted a 144-hour visa-free policy for foreigners from 53 countries since Dec. 28, 2017. Northeast China’s Liaoning Province introduced a 144-hour visa-free policy for visitors from 53 countries on Jan. 1, 2018, and many other regions across the country followed suit the year later.

Currently, the 144-hour visa-free policy has been expanded to 37 ports in 16 provinces across China, and applies to visitors from 54 countries.

Separately, China’s industrial profits grew at a faster clip in June, official data showed on Saturday, even as businesses were grappling with a downshift in consumers’ sentiment amid a shaky economic recovery.