The popular Chinese resort island - Hainan Province further releases limits on offshore duty-free shopping since December. The new policy increases the annual tax-free shopping quota for travelers, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
Effective since December 1st, the quota has risen to 30,000 RMB (about 4,300 USD) per year from the current 16,000 RMB, without limits on the number of purchases, said an officer from the MOF and China's customs and taxation authorities. Some home medical devices is also added to the duty-free list, including hearing aids and breathing machines.
The new policy allows not only travelers but also locals to buy duty-free products worth up to 30,000 RMB. The local residents of Hainan Province are allowed to enjoy the same offshore tax-free quota as travelers. Currently, the locals are allowed to buy duty-free items in Hainan once a year and the purchase cannot be more than 8,000 RMB.
At the same time, Hainan will open two more tax-free shops in the cities of Haikou and Qionghai, in addition to the current two duty-free shops. The new policy will help bring more luxury products to the Chinese market and convenience for visitors. The duty-free sales in Hainan jumped 24.1 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2018, to 5.29 billion RMB.