China fully reopens borders with Hong Kong, Macau

New Delhi: China has announced that it will now fully reopen its borders with Hong Kong and Macao. This announcement by China has been made about 3 years after the restrictions imposed after the outbreak of the Corona epidemic (Covid 19).

Due to many stringent steps like corona test and quarantine mandatory, many families were cut off. At the same time, restrictions on the border were also disrupting tourism and other businesses in the area.

However, the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said on Friday that all remaining restrictions has been lifted from midnight of February 6, and group travel to be allowed to resume.

Limited travel along the border between Hong Kong and mainland China resumed in January after Beijing abandoned the zero Covid strategy, leaving many families on both sides isolated and bringing tourism and businesses to a standstill. Hong Kong leader John Lee said on Friday that now the opening of the border to provide relief to the people.

Hong Kong’s borders have been largely closed for the past three years because its government made it mandatory to stay in quarantine for up to three weeks of travel to comply with Beijing’s Covid policy, an expert said.

Along with this, instructions were also given for intensive testing and screening. After China’s announcement on Friday, people’s access to Chinese travel website Queuer for round-trip air tickets between Hong Kong and Mainland China increased seven times.