Foreign tourists visiting China: Only 470,000 in the first half of 2023
・Travelers visiting China account for only 4% of visitors to Japan
・Risk of being arrested in China under anti-espionage laws
We bring you a summary of Hisashi Katsumata’s World View article.
Foreign travelers in China:
In the first half of 2023, only 470,000 foreign tourists will visit China.
This is a dismal result of “only 4% of tourists visiting Japan”.
Enforcement of anti-espionage laws:
No one wants to travel to China and risk being arrested there.
It is no surprise that inward direct investment into China will decline.
The fun of traveling abroad is taking photos and having fun.
However, when it comes to risking one’s life, everyone balks.
Chosun Ilbo (January 2)
He published a column titled “A country that monitors everything.”
The author is Kim Hong-soo, editorial committee member.
Number of foreign tourists in China:
1. In the first half of 2023, the number of foreign tourists in China was only 470,000.
2. This amounted to 4% of the number of foreign tourists in Japan (10.71 million in the first half).
The number of people decreased sharply by 95% compared to the first half of 2019 (8.56 million people) before the new coronavirus.
Impact of anti-espionage laws:
The anti-espionage law that will come into effect in July 2023 will have a major impact.
It unilaterally defines espionage as “activities that violate China’s security and interests.”
Frequent arrests of foreigners:
Many Western countries have urged people to refrain from business trips and travel to China.
Caution to Korean companies:
South Korean companies are warning business travelers to China to be extremely careful.
Handling of important information:
The smartphone, which contains important information, is left in South Korea.
Business travelers to China are advised to “bring a subphone.”
Samsung Electronics Notice:
Business travelers to China are educated in advance about contraindications in China.
1. Do not search for articles criticizing China;
2. Do not transfer files via SNS,
3. Avoid visiting military and defense industrial facilities;
Do not take photos, etc.
China’s national surveillance network:
China’s surveillance network is based on AI facial recognition technology.
This poses a major threat to North Korean defectors in China.
North Korean defectors:
Facial recognition machines at hotels, train stations, and on the streets will be used to identify North Korean defectors.
China’s surveillance network is precise:
If anyone is out, their whereabouts can be determined within 20 minutes.
What do you enjoy about traveling to a country like this?
A direct hit to financial hub Hong Kong:
In 2020, China enforced the National Security Law.
China, which monitors everything, has delivered a direct blow to Hong Kong, the world’s three largest financial hub.
Most Western global financial institutions have withdrawn from China and Hong Kong.
Goldman Sachs employees:
It took 100 years to build Hong Kong, the world’s three largest financial hub.
However, it will take less than five years for Hong Kong to turn into ruins.
Tokyo is an international financial hub:
Hong Kong flourished as an international financial city. However, now there is no trace of the old days.
Tokyo, Japan, emerged as an alternative city.
Abandoning Hong Kong interests:
Until now, China has used Hong Kong to make huge profits.
But now China has given up that interest.
This also resulted in alienation from Taiwan.
https://hisayoshi-katsumata-worldview.com/archives/34590650.html
Foreign visitors to Japan exceed 20 million for first time in 4 years
The number of foreign visitors to Japan
has topped 20 million for the first time since 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.
The Japan National Tourism Organization
2.44 million foreigners visited Japan in November, exceeding 2 million for the sixth straight month.
This brings the total since January to more than 22.33 million.
Among last month’s visitors,
649,900 from South Korea,
403,500 from Taiwan,
258,300 from China
200,400 from Hong Kong.
The numbers from 13 countries were the highest ever for November.
the weak yen is encouraging more people to travel to Japan from all over Asia, Europe and North America.
the number of visitors from China, remained at about one-third of the level it was four years ago.