As a result of Beijing’s announcement that the country’s borders will reopen next month, the Chinese population has raced to plan trips abroad.
Chinese passport applications for overseas travel will begin on January 8, according to the immigration agency.
It follows a Monday declaration that eased nearly three years of rigorous quarantine regulations for arrivals.
Since then, travel websites have noticed an increase in traffic.
However, Chinese travelers will not enjoy unrestricted access to all nations.
Concerned about an increase in cases and a lack of transparency from the Chinese government, U.S. officials are considering imposing new restrictions on travelers from China.
The international community is becoming concerned about the continued Covid-19 outbreak in China and the lack of transparent data, particularly viral genetic sequence data,” US officials said in a statement cited by news organizations.
“Without these data, it becomes increasingly impossible for public health professionals to guarantee that they would be able to identify any potential novel variations and take quick action to prevent their spread.”
Japan, one of the most popular vacation destinations for Chinese tourists, has announced that all Chinese visitors must present a negative Covid test upon arrival or face a seven-day quarantine.
India similarly requires travelers from China and a few other countries to present a negative Covid test upon arrival, albeit this requirement was announced before Beijing relaxed restrictions.
The loosening of China’s travel restrictions, the final component of the country’s zero-Covid policy, comes as China fights a new wave of infections.
Resentment towards the government’s stance, which prompted rare public protests against President Xi Jinping in November, resulted in a nationwide easing of Covid restrictions.
However, a surge in Covid cases followed, along with concerns about overcrowded hospitals and medicine shortages.
Tuesday’s statement regarding outbound travel followed Monday’s news regarding the elimination of quarantine regulations for travelers entering China. Additionally, a daily flight limit was eliminated.
The National Health Commission declared on the same day that Covid would be downgraded to a Class B infectious disease on January 8.
Before the loosening of travel restrictions, international travel was strictly discouraged. Dragon Trail International, a provider of marketing solutions, reports that the sale of the outbound group and package trips was prohibited.
Within half an hour of Monday’s announcement that China’s borders will reopen, Chinese media reported that searches for popular destinations on the travel website Trip.com had jumped tenfold year-over-year.
The most popular destinations were Macau, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea.
In addition, Chinese travel broker Qunar witnessed a sevenfold rise in flight inquiries on its website within 15 minutes of the news, according to the China Daily.
According to Statista, the number of Chinese outbound visitors in 2019 was 155 million before the epidemic. In 2020, this number declined to 20 million.
During the Chinese New Year, which begins on 22 January, some Chinese citizens may travel to see family and loved ones.
However, there has been a mixed reception within China.
“I am both delighted and speechless. If we’re doing this [reopening] regardless, why was I subjected to daily Covid testing and lockdowns this year?” Rachel Liu, who resides in Shanghai, stated.
In April, she underwent three months of quarantine, but in recent weeks, practically her entire family has fallen afflicted.
Last week, she reported that her parents, grandparents, and partner, who reside in the cities of Xi’an, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, had contracted fever.
Many have also expressed online concern over the reopening of borders as the number of Covid cases reaches a peak.
“Why can’t we wait for this wave to pass before opening? The medical staff is already exhausted, and elderly patients cannot survive two infections in one month “Read one of the most popular Weibo comments.
People in areas such as Beijing and Shanghai, which have harsh winters, report running out of flu and cold medication.
It is anticipated that hundreds of deaths may not be registered since crematoriums are at capacity.
To lessen the severity of infections, authorities in Beijing plan to distribute Paxlovid tablets manufactured by Pfizer. Monday, The Global Times phoned health centers and learned that the medicine had not yet been provided.
President Xi made his first statements regarding the measures on Monday, urging officials to do all “possible” to save lives.
Mr. Xi is in a difficult position due to China’s U-turn. He was the leading driver behind zero-Covid, which was condemned by many for unnecessarily restricting people’s lives and damaging the economy.
As a result of abandoning it, analysts argue he now bears responsibility for the massive outbreak of illnesses and hospitalizations. Numerous individuals have questioned why the nation was not better prepared.
