China recorded 14.64 million inbound trips made by foreigners in the first half of this year, up 152.7 percent year on year, the National Immigration Administration said Friday.

The visa-free entries made by foreigners exceeded 8.54 million, accounting for 52 percent of the inbound trips and representing a year-on-year surge of 190.1 percent, according to the administration.

"Since last year, China has successively implemented unilateral visa-free policies to 15 countries including France, Germany, and Australia. Holders of ordinary passports from these countries could enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family visits and transit and stay for up to 15 days. China has also signed mutual visa exemption agreements with seven countries including Singapore and Thailand," said Lin Yongsheng, spokesman of the National Immigration Administration.

The implementation of a series of relevant policies has played a positive role in promoting mutual trust, trade, and personnel exchanges between China and other countries, Lin said, adding that more foreigners are expected to come to China in the second half of this year.

In the first six months of the year, immigration authorities across China had also processed 287 million inbound and outbound trips, marking a 70.9-percent rise year on year.

Among them, 137 million were made by mainland residents, 121 million by residents from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and the Taiwan region, and 29.22 million by foreigners.