Beijing raises duty-free limit for mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong to 15,000 yuan

Currently, visitors from across the border must pay a tax of 13 to 50 per cent to the mainland government for purchases made in Hong Kong above a threshold of 5,000 yuan per trip, a measure introduced in 1996.

Six crossings will be covered by the initial roll-out of the new limit: Lo Wu, Futian, Shenzhen Bay, the West Kowloon high speed rail terminus, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Gongbei. The full implementation begins on August 1.

The Post earlier reported Beijing’s intention to raise the allowance level, but the amount would be “far below” the 30,000 yuan proposed by industry representatives in the city.

Tourism and retail industry representatives have been urging mainland authorities to increase the threshold since the reopening of borders after the pandemic, as big-spending visitors were found to be opting for more cultural experiences rather than pure shopping.

The city’s currency is also expensive for such visitors because of its peg to the US dollar.

More to follow ...