An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 27, 2025 shows tourists going on a yacht trip for sightseeing in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. Photo: Xinhua

China will relax market access in such sectors including high-end healthcare and leisure tourism, while removing restrictive measures in order to promote services consumption, Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said on Wednesday at a press conference, after multiple ministries on Tuesday unveiled new measures to ramp up domestic consumption. 

The press conference introduced the new policy packages released on Tuesday aiming at expanding service consumption. The policy measures outlined 19 initiatives across five areas to foster new growth levers in services.

Sheng noted that the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), together with other departments, is committed to the approach of "opening up externally and relaxing internally." The ministry will leverage fiscal and financial tools to optimize service supply and unlock new potential in service consumption. 

Sheng noted that China will expand the high-level opening-up in services sector by including more services industries in the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment. China will also encourage the introduction of high-level international sports events.

Meanwhile, Sheng said that China will systematically expand the scope of unilateral visa-free access for foreign nationals and optimize entry visa policies. The measures aim to harness the country's rich cultural heritage to draw international visitors for "China travel" and "buy in China." 

Sheng highlighted the robust growth of China's consumption market in recent years, with steady expansion in scale, optimized structures, and accelerating release of consumption potential. 

"Service consumption has been a standout, with international consumption hub cities seeing a surge in inbound tourists, a vibrant tourism market, and booming popularity of concerts, music festivals, and grassroots events like the Su Super League and Village BA. Service consumption has become a key driver of economic growth," said Sheng.

However, challenges remain, including the need to improve supply quality and consumer experiences in some sectors, necessitating stronger policy coordination to promote high-quality development of services, Sheng noted.

Also on Wednesday, Kong Dejun, director general of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services of MOFCOM, outlined future steps at the press conference.  

"Through a competitive evaluation process, approximately 50 cities with large populations, strong economic influence, and good development potential will be selected as pilot cities for new consumption models. This initiative aims to enhance high-quality supply, foster innovative and diverse consumption scenarios, and drive the emergence of new consumption patterns to better meet the diverse needs of Chinese consumers," said Kong.

Services consumption is regarded as a key pillar for improving livelihoods and main focus of consumption upgrading. It plays an essential role in driving high-quality economic development, according to MOFCOM.

The policy packages include supporting innovative exhibition methods for cultural and museums, with proceeds to be sued for performance incentives; easing market access in high-end healthcare and leisure tourism; and providing financial support, such as interest subsidies, to service industry operators in sectors closely tied to daily life.

The policy measures emphasized relaxing market access restrictions. Analysts note that lowering barriers in high-end healthcare and leisure tourism will attract more foreign visitors, invigorate the market, and offer consumers greater choices. Meanwhile, the market potential will offer opportunities for all business entities, including foreign-funded enterprises.

Global Times