In addition to his domestic traveling, he also visited a number of foreign countries.
In November 1924 he visited Sitiawan in Malaysia. He visited the same place the following year and established the first church in Southeast Asia. He returned to China from Malaysia in May 1925.
In March 1931 he worked in Japan for one week.
Late in June 1933, he traveled through France and stayed in London, England, for a period of time. He visited the Brethren assemblies and also met with T. Austin-Sparks and those who met with him at Honor Oak, London. In London he also visited D.M. Panton and George Cutting who told Watchman, "Without Him I cannot live, and without me He cannot live." The Brethren brought him to America to visit the assemblies in Vancouver, Canada, and New York City. In New York he spoke in English to over two thousand Brethren believers. He returned to China in August of the same year. Through that visit the real condition of the Brethren assemblies became clear to him.
In July 1937 he visited Manila in the Philippines and conducted meetings there morning and evening. While in the Philippines, he held a mountain retreat in Baguio. There he spoke to over one hundred believers on the overcoming life of Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the truths concerning the church and fellowship.
In September of the same year, he traveled from Manila to visit Singapore, Sitiawan, and Penang in Malaysia.
In February 1938 he traveled from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Penang, holding meetings with the churches in these places respectively.
In April Watchman traveled through India, arriving in London in May to meet with T. Austin-Sparks.
On July 22 he attended the Keswick Convention with Brother Sparks. In the morning a missionary meeting was held. The chairman of the meeting, Mr. W.H. Aldis, knowing Watchman was present at the meeting, asked him to offer prayer. He hesitated at first, but after checking with Sparks and being encouraged by him, he offered the following prayer: "The Lord reigneth. He is reigning, and He is Lord of all. Nothing can touch His authority. It is the spiritual forces that are out to destroy the interests of the Lord in China and Japan. We do not pray for Japan. We do not pray for China. But we pray for the interests of Thy Son in China and Japan. We do not blame any man. They are only tools in the hand of the enemy of the Lord. Lord, we stand in Thy will. Lord, shatter the kingdom of darkness. Lord, the persecution of Thy church is persecuting Thee."1 This prayer was offered in the presence of a Japanese Christian at the time the great havoc of the invading Japanese army was increasing. The whole congregation was both captivated and deeply impressed by this prayer.
In October of the same year, he was invited to visit Denmark. He also visited Norway, Germany, and Switzerland. He returned to London by way of Paris. While staying in London, his book Rethinking the Work was translated into English. The work of translation was done with the help of some sisters, and the book was published by Austin-Sparks' bookroom under the title Concerning Our Missions. This book was published with the hope of being able to minister to the Lord's people in the Western world on the practicality of the church life. At that time his ministry on Christ as life was fully accepted in northern Europe. However, the atmosphere at that time was not conducive to the release of his ministry on the practicality of the church life. It was for this reason that he was burdened to leave with them his main publications on this matter.
He left England in May of 1939, returning to Shanghai in July by way of India and Singapore.
His visits to the foreign countries left those who met him with a deep impression that he was commissioned by the Lord. These contacts paved the way for the future furtherance of the Lord's recovery outside of China.