In the past 20-plus years, China has become the world's leading source of international tourists. Cheng Si reports.

Editor's note: To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, we are publishing a series of stories reflecting changes and developments in fields such as law, education, transportation and the environment. This is the fourth in the series.

Outbound tourism is no longer a privilege enjoyed only by people on business trips or political visits.

Now, it is a commonplace activity for most Chinese, as a result of the nation's economic growth, the relaxation of visa policies and people's growing desire to travel.

In 2017, Chinese nationals made 143 million outbound trips, while in 1995 the figure was 5 million, and the average annual rise over the period was 17 percent, according to a report published by the National Bureau of Statistics last month.

It said that in 2013, the number of outbound Chinese travelers hit the top spot globally for the first time, and has stayed there ever since.

Moreover, the amount spent by Chinese travelers at overseas destinations has soared in the past two decades.