China's Tourism Revival: A Bid to Redefine Its Image Abroad Beijing's recent move to relax visa rules has sent a clear message to tourists and the world at large: come visit, judge for yourself.
Foreign visitors are now flocking to China, taking photos in front of the Forbidden City and sipping coffee in trendy cafes around Gulou and Sanlitun.
This resurgence of tourism comes as a surprise given China's increasingly tense relationship with the West, marked by strategic rivalry, expanded anti espionage measures, and tightened control over foreign reporting.