A designer's sketch of a woman shopping in Hangzhou. [Photo/IC]

Overseas travelers can now enjoy a more convenient shopping experience in the Yangtze River Delta thanks to a new cross-regional departure tax refund program linking Zhejiang and Shanghai.

The first transaction was recently completed by a Chinese-American traveler who purchased goods in Hangzhou and received an instant tax refund of more than 4,600 yuan ($679) at the point of sale. After completing departure verification in Shanghai, she left China smoothly through Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The new scheme, jointly promoted by tax authorities in Zhejiang and Shanghai, allows overseas visitors who receive instant tax refunds at participating stores in Zhejiang to complete departure verification at designated ports in Shanghai. Zhejiang is the first province in China to achieve cross-provincial mutual recognition among different tax refund service providers.

Hangzhou serves as the pilot city for the initiative. Officials said the program shifts the refund process from the point of departure to the point of purchase, enabling travelers to receive funds immediately and encouraging further spending during their stay.

The move marks a significant step toward greater integration of departure tax refund services across the Yangtze River Delta. Since April 30, the program has been rolled out across Zhejiang province.

According to official data, Zhejiang now has 866 departure tax refund stores, including 468 offering instant tax refunds. In the first quarter of 2026, sales of tax-refunded goods in the province surged 123.22 percent year-on-year.

Hangzhou is a pilot city for instant tax refunds between Zhejiang province and Shanghai. [Photo/IC]