The strict anti-virus approach that Beijing had been enforcing, which included mandated quarantines and arduous lockdowns, began to be dramatically dismantled in the past month.
On Sunday, China lifted the quarantine regulations for arriving travelers, marking the end of almost three years of self-imposed isolation even as the country fights an increase in the number of cases of COVID.
The strict anti-virus approach that Beijing had been enforcing, which included mandated quarantines and arduous lockdowns, began to be dramatically dismantled in the past month.
China’s economy has collapsed as a direct result of the containment policy, which has also caused riots across the country.
On Sunday, the final piece of the puzzle will fall into place, and visitors arriving in China will no longer be subject to the quarantine requirement.
Since March of 2020, all new entrants have been made to go through mandatory isolation at government facilities that are centralized. During the summer, it was just one week, but by November, it was down to five days. This had previously been for three weeks.
As soon as officials in China stated a month ago that the quarantine would be lifted, the population immediately began making plans to leave the country, which resulted in an increase in the number of questions posted on prominent travel websites.
However, as a result of the anticipated increase in tourists from the world’s most populous nation, over a dozen countries have mandated that citizens of that country undergo mandatory COVID testing as the country fights its worst-ever outbreak.
It is anticipated that the outbreak may get more severe as China enters the Lunar New Year holiday this month. During this time, millions of people are likely to travel from hard-hit megacities to rural areas in order to visit elderly relatives who are more susceptible to the disease.
Despite the fact that it continues to largely exclude overseas students and tourists from travelling to China, Beijing has criticized restrictions on travel that have been imposed by other nations, calling them “inappropriate.”
It’s true that “the more, the merrier.”
Zhang Kai, who is 28 years old and is required to take tests, told AFP that he intends to travel to either Japan or South Korea in spite of the limitations.
“I am glad, because finally I can let go,” Zhang added. “I have been holding on for too long.”
Friends of his have already arrived in Japan and have been put through the examinations, which he brushed off as a “minor thing.”
Destinations in Asia that are popular with tourists are getting ready for an increase in the number of Chinese tourists.
In Seoul, at a crepe stall, Son Kyung-rak revealed that he was formulating strategies to deal with the anticipated influx of tourists.
“We’re trying to hire and are ready to stock up,” the 24-year-old told AFP in the well-known Myeongdong district, located in the heart of Seoul’s downtown area.
“As Chinese tourists make up the majority of our clientele, we welcome as many as possible.”
Masashi Higashitani, a caricaturist working in Tokyo, was getting ready for an increase in the number of tourists by brushing up on his Chinese language abilities.
But despite the fact that he expressed to AFP his excitement over China’s reopening, he also acknowledged feeling some apprehension.
“I’m curious about the impact that an infusion of too many of them could have on our capability. “I’m also concerned that we need to be more vigilant with regards to taking anti-virus precautions,” he explained to AFP.
Hong Kong Opens
A significant easing of the rigorous cross-border travel restrictions that have been in place with the Chinese mainland will take place on Sunday in Hong Kong, which is a semi-autonomous city in the southern region of China.
Families that were split up by the boundary are looking forward to being reunited during the Lunar New Year holiday. The Hong Kong economy, which has been struck hard by the recent recession, is keen to reconnect with its largest source of growth.
After registering online, up to 50,000 people living in Hong Kong will have the ability to cross the border each day at one of the three land checkpoints.
John Lee, the head of the city, stated that an additional 10,000 people will not be required to register in advance in order to reach the city by bridges, boats, or airplanes.
Within just one day of the new regulations being made public, more than 280,000 people had signed up to complete the trek in its entirety.
However, travellers departing from Hong Kong will still be required to provide a negative result from a nucleic acid test that was conducted no more than 48 hours before departure.
The city has announced that immigration authorities will begin providing licences for mainlanders to go to Hong Kong and Macau “according to the epidemic situation and service capacities.” These permits will be issued by the immigration authorities.
Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier for Hong Kong, has announced that it will more than double the number of flights it operates to the Chinese mainland.