Foreign tourists pose with red lanterns and performers at a park in Nanjing City, east China's Jiangsu Province, February 13, 2024. /CFP

China welcomes more foreigners to visit the country and will remain committed to providing them with a safe, comfortable and convenient travel environment, a Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday.

Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to give more details on what assistance China will provide to facilitate foreigners' visits to China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has launched new measures including shortening visa application forms, exempting some applicants from fingerprinting and extending a unilateral visa-free policy to France, Germany and some other countries on a trial basis, said Mao.

In order to solve the problem of mobile payment difficulties for foreigners, the People's Bank of China has instructed payment institutions to improve the use of international bank cards, simplify identity verification arrangements and increase the limit of single mobile payment transactions, the spokesperson said.

Besides, the major carriers including China Telecom and China Mobile have set up a number of service outlets at airport ports in major cities to help foreigners get a mobile phone number easier upon arrival, the spokesperson added.

Noting China has extended visa-free policy to many countries, Mao said the number of inbound tourists reached 3.23 million during the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong