Alipay makes it easier to get back overseas shopping tax

An increasing number of Chinese tourists heading home with purchases will soon find it easier to receive their tax refunds on overseas shopping.

China's Alipay and Swiss tax-refund giant Global Blue launched a service on Monday allowing Chinese tourists to have their refunds on duties sent directly into their Alipay accounts.

About 5,000 retailers across France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and South Korea will be the first to provide the service, while retailers in the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland are expected to roll out the service in the coming months.