Beijing: Cheung Seng-bun, a resident of Hong Kong, made sure to be among the first in line after the reopening of border crossing points on Sunday after spending two years apart from his wife in mainland China.
One of the most obvious effects of China's easing of border restrictions is the ability of residents of the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city to cross over. Foreign visitors are also no longer subject to quarantine.
Cheung, carrying a large suitcase, told The Associated Press as he got ready to cross the street at Lok Ma Chau station, "I'm hurrying to get back to her."
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To cross between Hong Kong and the mainland of China, travellers must still present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the previous 48 hours. China has objected to this requirement when it has been imposed by other nations.
The virus has severely affected Hong Kong, and for nearly three years, both its land and sea border checkpoints with the mainland have been mostly closed. The reopening, which will permit tens of thousands of people who have previously made online reservations to cross each day, is anticipated to give Hong Kong's tourism and retail sectors a much-needed boost despite the possibility of new infections.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee stated that the parties would continue to increase the number of crossing points from the present seven to the full 14.
"Returning as soon as possible to pre-epidemic normal life is the aim, "Lee informed the media. "We want to restart communication between the two sides."
On the first day of reopening, approximately 200 passengers were anticipated to take the ferry to Hong Kong, while another 700 were anticipated to travel in the opposite direction, according to Tan Luming, a port official in Shenzhen on the border with Hong Kong, as quoted by the Communist Party newspaper Global Times. Tan predicted that over the next few years, the number of passengers will rise steadily.
Upon arriving in Shenzhen, where she was given "roses and health kits," a Hong Kong woman identified only by her surname, Cheung, said, "I stayed up all night and got up at 4:00 a.m. as I'm so excited to return to the mainland to see my 80-year-old mother."
According to Hong Kong media reports, the city has already received about 300,000 reservations for travel to mainland China.
Additionally, a limited ferry service had been reinstated from the Chinese province of Fujian to the nearby island of Kinmen, which is under Taiwanese control.
Just in time for the start of the ice festival in the capital city of Harbin, a significant tourist attraction, the border crossing with Russia at Suifenhe in the extremely northern province of Heilongjiang also resumed regular operations.
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However, China's borders continue to be largely closed, and fewer international flights are now landing at major airports than in the past.
According to the airport, Beijing's main Capital International Airport was anticipating eight international flights on Sunday. With only a trickle of additional international flights to come, Shanghai, the largest city in China, received its first international flight under the new policy at 6:30 a.m.
With booking requests for international flights overwhelming some online travel services in advance of the upcoming Lunar New Year travel rush, that number is now anticipated to increase. The arrival halls at Capital International, which have been mostly empty for the past three years, are about to reopen.
While this was going on, Shanghai declared that it would once more begin issuing regular passports to Chinese for overseas travel and family visits, as well as renewing and extending visas for foreigners. In the important Asian financial centre, those restrictions have had a particularly devastating impact on foreign businesspeople and students.
With the start of China's biggest holiday of the year, set to begin in the coming days, the country is currently dealing with an increase in cases and hospital admissions in major cities and is preparing for a further spread into less developed areas.
Authorities predict a doubling of domestic rail and air travel over the corresponding period in 2018, bringing total numbers close to those of the 2019 holiday season prior to the pandemic.
While this is going on, the debate over the testing demands put forth by foreign governments, most recently Germany and Sweden, on Chinese tourists continues. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged citizens to refrain from "unnecessary" travel to China on Saturday, citing the country's rising coronavirus cases and the fact that its healthcare system is "overburdened."
The German law also permits spot checks at the airport, and Germany, like other European countries, will test aircraft waste for potential new virus variants. The restrictions will go into effect at midnight on Monday and last until April 7.
China claims the testing requirements are not science-based and has threatened to take unspecified countermeasures, which suggests that it is worried about its reputation.
Chinese health officials release daily counts of new cases, serious cases, and fatalities, but these figures only include cases that have been officially confirmed and use a very limited definition of COVID-19-related fatalities.
According to authorities, the government is no longer able to give a complete picture of the latest outbreak because it ended mandatory testing and allowed people with mild symptoms to test themselves and recover at home.
The World Health Organization and others have accused the government of not being transparent about the number of cases and fatalities or providing other essential details on the nature of the current outbreak, which could result in the emergence of new variants. However, government spokespeople claim that the situation is under control and reject these claims.
Despite these claims, the Health Commission on Saturday unveiled regulations for more thorough surveillance of viral mutations, including testing of sewage from urban areas. The extensive regulations mandated stepped-up examinations for "pneumonia of unknown causes," increased data collection from hospitals and local government health departments, and more.
The majority of the criticism has centred on the zealous enforcement of laws, such as open-ended travel restrictions that kept people confined to their homes for weeks at a time, sometimes without adequate ventilation.
The requirement that anyone who might have tested positive or had contact with such a person be kept in a field hospital for observation—where issues with crowding, subpar food, and hygiene were frequently mentioned—led to other outrage.
The eventual social and economic costs sparked uncommon street demonstrations in Beijing and other cities, which may have influenced the Communist Party's choice to swiftly relax the strictest regulations and refocus on growth.
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China will no longer prosecute individuals who are accused of disobeying border quarantine laws as part of the most recent changes, according to a notice released by five government departments on Saturday.
The notice stated that people who are currently in custody will be released and seized property will be returned.
The Transportation Ministry urged people to take fewer trips and to attend fewer gatherings on Friday, especially if they include elderly people, pregnant women, young children, and people with underlying medical conditions.