Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CHANGCHUN, May 21 (Xinhua) — Early in the morning, Maria Zaitseva, a tourist from Vladivostok, arrived in China through the Hunchun border crossing, once again setting off on her familiar and favorite journey.
Arriving in Hunchun City, Jilin Province, she headed straight to the mall, took out her shopping list from her bag, and started shopping. Electronics, seasonal clothing, daily necessities… the wide range of products to choose from and the friendly service of the salespeople delighted her.
The city of Hunchun /Jilin Province, Northeast China/ is located at the junction of the state borders of China, Russia and the DPRK. In recent years, Hunchun has attracted more and more Russian tourists due to its convenient location, simplified entry rules and a variety of services.
“As far as I know, the hashtag ChinaTravel /travel to China/ is very popular now and I noticed that such a trend as ChinaShopping /shopping in China/ has begun to attract the attention of our compatriots. Hunchun is our very first and convenient stop for a shopping tour in China,” said Maria.
In Hunchun, many road signs and signboards are duplicated in Russian, and some stores accept payments in rubles, making shopping easier for Russian tourists.
“Good quality and good price!” Maria commented on a pair of Chinese-made sunglasses she bought in Hunchun. “After the discount, the glasses cost less than 300 yuan,” she added.
At the request of her friends, Maria is also ready to buy several Chinese-made power banks. “I heard that a new, smaller and more fashionable battery has appeared, and my friend asked me to buy one,” she said.
Like Maria, many Russian tourists plan to buy Chinese-made goods, especially those essentials that combine fashionable design and affordable prices.
Li Wenlong, the owner of an eyeglass shop in Hunchun, communicates fluently in Russian with Russian customers.
“Myopia glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses – we can receive hundreds of Russian tourists a day,” Li Wenlong said, noting that “we often put frames on the shelves that are suitable for European-type appearance, particularly for Russians, as well as popular frame shapes that they like.”
“My feeling about shopping in China is that there is a lot of choice and it is very convenient,” said Svetlana Kapitsyna, a Russian who has lived in Hunchun for a long time. She has become accustomed to paying for purchases using her mobile phone.
“You can pay by scanning or touching, and it’s very safe and secure,” Svetlana said.
In recent years, the cross-border e-commerce sector in Hunchun has developed rapidly, and many Russian tourists can buy Chinese goods through e-commerce platforms.
Song Xueyan, manager of Yutong International Travel Agency in Hunchun, said many Russian tourists place orders on Chinese e-commerce platforms in advance and arrange for the purchased goods to be delivered by mail to the hotels in Hunchun where they will be staying, or ask Chinese friends to help them pick them up.
According to customs data, by the end of 2024, 667 thousand people crossed the state border through the Hunchun checkpoint.
“With China’s continuous optimization of visa-free entry, transportation, payment and VAT refund policies when leaving the country, the popularity of ChinaShopping is rapidly growing, especially in border cities such as Hunchun,” Li Wenlong said.
“As tour operators, we will continue to improve the quality of our services, closely monitor market demand and constantly improve our business models to provide Russian tourists with a more convenient, diverse and safe shopping experience,” he added. -0-