- ANTARA/Reuters/Tyrone Siu/as
VIVA – China announced the reopening of its borders with Hong Kong, ending three years of pandemic restrictions that have isolated the financial hub from the Chinese mainland. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office confirmed the new rules on January 5, 2023.
"Hong Kong residents traveling to mainland China will no longer have to be quarantined or undergo Covid-19 tests after they arrive as part of a move to resume cross-border travel in a gradual and orderly manner," China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office stated in a statement.
China will reopen the border with the Hong Kong administrative region on Sunday, January 8, 2023. Here are the facts:
1. Open After Three Years
China is carrying out the plan for the first time in three years since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
2. Revocation of Covid-19 Rules
China did this after Beijing accelerated the lifting of strict Covid-19 rules that had destroyed its economic growth. This border opening will bring the resumption of quarantine-free travel between the financial center and mainland China.
3. Opened Gradually
Bendera China.
Although, China will reopen the border with the Hong Kong special administrative region on Sunday, January 8, 2023. However, this will be done in a gradual and orderly manner. This was announced by China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in a notice on Thursday, January 5, 2023.
4. Tourists Don't Need Quarantine
China will also reopen to tourists on Sunday without the need for quarantine for the first time since 2020. In fact, when infections spiked after halting its Covid restrictions. Hong Kong is closely following China's harsh zero Covid-19 policy until mid-2022 when it begins to relax some restrictions.
5. Don’t Need to Show Covid-19 Test
China no longer requires people to show a Covid-19 test upon arrival to the mainland from Hong Kong. Meanwhile, China will issue special tourism and business visas for mainland residents to visit Hong Kong starting January 8, the office said, as reported by Reuters.
Hong Kong residents have been visiting clinics for Covid-19 vaccinations ahead of the border reopening, which some fear could lead to a spike in infections and demand for mRNA vaccines that are not widely available on the mainland.
