A foreign tourist records with a Chinese-brand pocket camera at the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing, May 2, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's immigration authorities handled 369 million entries and exits in the first half of 2026, marking a year-on-year increase of 10.8 percent and setting a new record, Lin Yongsheng, a spokesman for the National Immigration Administration, announced on Friday.

Among them, more than 17.81 million were visa-free entries by foreigners, accounting for 77.7 percent of all foreign entries, with a year-on-year increase of 30.6 percent. The total entries and exits of foreigners reached more than 45.9 million, an increase of 20.6 percent year-on-year, Lin said during a news conference held by NIA.

The top 10 countries of origin for inbound foreign travelers are South Korea, Russia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Japan, Mongolia and Australia, accounting for 62 percent of the total number of foreign entries.

Of the total entries and exits, 176 million were made by residents from the Chinese mainland, while 147 million were residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, with year-on-year increases of 10.7 percent and 8.1 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, about 20.84 million transportation vehicles, including planes, trains, ships and vehicles were inspected, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 17.1 percent, he added.