To the commerce, cybersecurity, public security, and entry-exit, culture, and tourism authorities of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and cities with independent planning status, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; the Shanghai headquarters of the People's Bank of China; its branches in all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and cities with independent planning status; and the branches of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange in all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and cities with independent planning status:

In order to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, better provide accommodation services for foreign personnel entering China for tourism, work and life, protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign personnel in China in accordance with the law, and serve high-level opening up, the Ministry of Commerce and other departments have formulated a number of measures to facilitate accommodation for foreign personnel. The relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:

1. Operate in compliance with laws and regulations

Relevant local departments and online operating platforms should not use qualification requirements as a threshold to restrict accommodation operators from receiving foreign personnel, and online operating platforms and accommodation operators should not publish information that they do not receive foreign personnel in their accommodation. Provincial-level cybersecurity and informatization, public security, commerce, culture and tourism and other relevant departments should combine their own responsibilities to jointly strengthen market regulation, investigate local accommodation operators and online operating platforms for illegal restrictions on foreign personnel, and promptly urge rectification.

2. Improving reception capabilities

Support accommodation operators to carry out pre-job training for front desk receptionists and improve the service capabilities of front desk receptionists and other related personnel. Encourage accommodation operators with conditions to upgrade service standards and facilities and equipment, provide tourism, transportation, shopping and other related information services, open international long-distance calls, post Chinese and foreign language signs, and equip front desk receptionists with certain foreign language skills or artificial intelligence translation equipment and other convenient service facilities and equipment.

3. Strengthen industry self-discipline

All localities and relevant departments should give full play to the role of industry associations, strengthen industry self-discipline, urge accommodation operators to uphold the principles of equality, fairness and honest operation, and ensure that their business operations comply with laws and regulations and consumer rights protection standards. Encourage industry associations to organize foreign-related business training and promote the formulation of relevant service standards. Support industry associations and relevant network operation platforms to carry out assessments and evaluations to guide accommodation operators to operate in good faith and in compliance with regulations.

IV. Leveraging the Platform

Guide network operation platforms to optimize foreign language versions of applications, and improve the full-process service experience of overseas personnel in downloading, registering, and booking products or services. Strengthen the responsibility of network operation platforms and strengthen the review and control of information released by settled merchants. Give full play to the scale effect of network operation platforms, encourage platforms to offer online courses such as hotel foreign languages and reception etiquette, provide foreign language training such as check-in and room reservation, and help accommodation operators better provide services for overseas personnel coming to China.

V. Optimize registration management

Further optimize the management and service work of accommodation operators for accommodation registration of foreign personnel, simplify information collection items, expand registration and reporting methods, further strengthen guidance and training on accommodation registration of foreign personnel, and facilitate accommodation operators to carry out accommodation registration conveniently and legally. Implement the State Council's "Guiding Opinions on Further Standardizing and Supervising the Setting and Implementation of Fines" (Guofa [2024] No. 5), adhere to education and management first, inclusive and prudent law enforcement, and guide and standardize the improvement of accommodation operators' foreign reception service capabilities.

VI. Smooth service channels

Improve communication service channels for overseas personnel, encourage regions with conditions to improve signs in Chinese, English or other major languages at airports, railway stations and other places, provide inquiry services, and carry out pre-accommodation guidance services for overseas personnel. Give full play to the role of the 12367 immigration management government service platform, accelerate the interconnection with the 12345 hotline, and provide policy Q&A, information consultation, complaint reporting, opinion and suggestion acceptance and other services in both Chinese and English at all times.

7. Improve payment convenience

Optimize the environment for accepting overseas bank cards, support qualified regions to accelerate the software and hardware transformation of overseas bank card acceptance equipment in the accommodation and other fields, actively expand overseas bank card and overseas e-wallet acceptance merchants, and increase the deployment rate of bank card acceptance terminals. Guide accommodation operators to publicly promise to accept cash, prepare change, and meet cash usage needs. Support hotels with a large number of overseas personnel to add foreign currency exchange institutions and facilities, and increase the number of convertible foreign currencies. Support network operation platforms closely related to the accommodation industry to optimize the payment experience of overseas personnel purchasing products and services online, and continuously improve and enhance mobile payment services.

8. Create a friendly atmosphere

All localities and relevant departments should closely combine their work with reality, actively guide local accommodation operators to learn relevant policies and improve service levels. Increase publicity efforts for overseas personnel, let more overseas personnel understand and know relevant services and policies, and create a good foreign-related service environment. Give full play to the role of service hotlines and consulting platforms, increase personnel investment, strengthen capacity training, properly and seriously handle relevant consultations, demands and complaints, and show China's open, inclusive and friendly image.

All localities and relevant departments should further raise their awareness, take the initiative to understand and promptly resolve the practical difficulties encountered by overseas personnel in accommodation in light of their own functions, provide a more convenient and friendly accommodation environment for overseas personnel, comprehensively promote international exchanges and cooperation, and better serve high-level opening-up and high-quality development.

Ministry of Commerce, Cyberspace Administration of China, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Culture and Tourism

People's Bank of China National Immigration Administration State Administration of Foreign Exchange