Shanghai Immigration Inspection: The Number of People Crossing the Border Through Pudong International Airport Exceeds 30 Million This Year, Becoming the Top Airport in China
At 8 am on December 25th, Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station of Shanghai General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection recorded a total of more than 30 million passengers at the Pudong International Airport, breaking last year’s total by 78% and leading the national airport for 22 consecutive years.
The Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station has opened enough inspection channels to ensure smooth passage for travelers.
The number of foreign inbound travelers has increased by 110%.
From the network buzzword “City不City” to “China Travel” becoming a traffic password, more and more foreign tourists are coming to China for sightseeing, investment negotiations, exploring China’s magnificent mountains and rivers, and experiencing traditional Chinese culture, praising the achievements of China’s modernization.
“I brought my children to China to fulfill their snow dream! They have never seen snowfall. We planned for more than two years, and finally had the opportunity to come to China this time, and will transfer to Heilongjiang to visit the Ice and Snow World,” said Mr. CHEONG SIEW HOONG, a Singaporean traveler. “I have come to China six times and deeply feel the rapid changes in the city,” said GAINULLIN TIMUR, a foreign traveler who frequently travels between Europe and China.
The Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station reported that this year, the station has inspected more than 7.6 million foreign inbound and outbound travelers, an increase of 110% over the same period last year. The number of foreigners from Japan, South Korea, the United States, and other countries ranks in the top three. The continuous optimization of the country’s immigration management policies, especially the continuous expansion of visa-free countries and the optimization of entry policies, as well as the comprehensive relaxation of the optimized 240-hour transit visa-free policy, have greatly promoted the enthusiasm of foreigners to visit China for economy, trade, and tourism. This year, the number of visa-free inbound foreigners at this port reached 1.22 million, accounting for 30% of the total number of inbound foreigners during the same period.
The proportion of mainland residents traveling across the boarder exceeds 67%.
With the favorable immigration policies and the heating up of domestic and international tourism markets, international routes to Europe, Central Asia, Australia, and other regions are gradually being added, resumed, and encrypted. The daily international and Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan passenger flights at Pudong International Airport are maintained at more than 500 flights, showing an overall characteristic of “淡季不淡、旺季更旺” (remaining busy during both off-season and peak season).
Behind the dense flights is the sustained release of travel demand from domestic and foreign travelers. This year, more than 20 million mainland residents have traveled across this port for more than 80% growth compared to the same period in 2023. According to the Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station, about 70% of mainland residents choose Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao, and other destinations as their travel destinations.
The number of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents traveling to Shanghai increased by 37.5%.
“The immigration police are very friendly!” Mr. Zhang from Taiwan was surprised at how smoothly he went through customs clearance on his first trip back to mainland China. “My mainland friends always invite me back to visit and also discuss my herbal business,” he said.
With the continuous optimization of business environments such as transit at Pudong International Airport, the number of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan travelers passing through this port is gradually increasing. This year, the Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station has inspected more than 2.2 million Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents crossing the border with an increase of 37.5% compared to last year. Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan are becoming closer connected with mainland China. This year also coincides with the 25th anniversary of Macau returning to China; the number of international travelers to Macau from Pudong International Airport has also increased from previous years. “I often travel in and out of Shanghai, and it’s very convenient,” said Han先生from Macau.
To ensure smoother travel for international travelers at Pudong International Airport this year, the Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station has launched innovative measures such as a new “8+X” tide-based operational model. The station has invested in smart verification counters and established a new police guarantee model featuring pre-分流分流of incoming foreigners、pre-审核审核of transit applications以及统一的入境过境办理流程。 These efforts aim to improve port clearance efficiency and reduce waiting time for travelers. The station also has a “Hundred-person Foreign Language Volunteer Service Team” available 24 hours a day to provide multi-language emergency translation, policy consultation assistance等， creating a warm and efficient port clearance environment.
With the approach of holidays such as New Year’s Day and Spring Festival, it is expected that the number of people traveling across the Pudong International Airport will continue to grow. The Shanghai Airport Exit and Entry Inspection Station will strictly implement the requirements of the State Immigration Administration Bureau and Shanghai General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection while closely monitoring port traffic changes to ensure smooth port clearance operations by increasing police presence during duty hours and optimizing convenience measures for customs clearance. This will help enhance Pudong International Airport’s role as a global transportation hub while continuously improving its quality and efficiency.
