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By Farah Grasp and Twinnie Siu
HONG KONG – China mentioned on Friday that cross border journey between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau would totally resume from Feb. 6, dropping current quotas and scrapping a compulsory coronavirus (COVID) check that was required earlier than touring.
Group excursions between China and its two particular administrative areas of Hong Kong and Macau would resume, whereas the variety of customs checkpoints open will return to pre-pandemic ranges, China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Workplace mentioned in an announcement on its web site.
Even after China reopened its borders to the world on Jan. 8, a quota system and COVID testing requirement remained for vacationers between the mainland and Hong Kong.
The three border checkpoints that haven’t but reopened will accomplish that from Feb. 6, Hong Kong’s chief John Lee mentioned at a press convention on Friday.
Hong Kong will even scrap a COVID vaccination requirement to enter Hong Kong for all arrivals, together with non-Hong Kong residents, Lee added.
Searches on Chinese language journey web site Qunar for roundtrip air tickets to and from Hong Kong and the mainland elevated seven-fold on Friday after China’s announcement, knowledge from state media China Transportation Information confirmed.
China’s announcement got here a day after Hong Kong launched a promotion marketing campaign together with 500,000 free flights to lure again guests, companies and buyers to the monetary hub after greater than three years of robust COVID curbs.
Hong Kong was largely sealed off behind closed borders for a lot of the previous three years in a bid to push back COVID, with necessary quarantine of as much as three weeks for folks arriving in addition to intensive testing and screening.
The previous British colony intently adopted China’s zero-COVID coverage till the center of 2022 when it started to progressively unwind its guidelines.
Hong Kong dropped most of its remaining COVID guidelines in December, however mask-wearing stays necessary except exercising, and college students should take each day speedy antigen assessments. – Reuters
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