BEIJING (AP) — After two years of being separated from his spouse in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made positive he was among the many first to cross the border after crossing factors reopened on Sunday.
The flexibility of residents of the semi-autonomous southern Chinese language metropolis to cross is without doubt one of the most seen indicators of the easing of China’s border restrictions, as vacationers arriving from overseas are not required to self-quarantine.
“I am hurrying again to her,” Cheung, carrying a heavy suitcase, instructed The Related Press as he ready to cross at Lok Ma Chau station.
Nevertheless, vacationers crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China are nonetheless required to point out a unfavourable COVID-19 check taken throughout the final 48 hours, a transfer China has protested when imposed by different nations.
Hong Kong has been hit arduous by the virus, with its land and sea border checkpoints with the mainland largely closed for practically three years. Regardless of the chance of latest infections, the reopening that can permit tens of 1000’s of individuals to cross every day is predicted to offer a much-needed enhance to Hong Kong’s tourism and retail sectors.
Nevertheless, China’s borders stay largely sealed, with solely a fraction of the earlier variety of worldwide flights arriving at main airports. That quantity is predicted to rise now, with Beijing’s important airport making ready to reopen arrival halls which were quiet for the higher a part of three years.
China now faces a surge in circumstances and hospitalizations in main cities and is bracing for additional unfold to less-developed areas with the beginning of the Lunar New Yr journey rush, set to kick off within the coming days. Whereas worldwide flights are nonetheless down, officers say they anticipate home rail and air journey to double over the identical interval final 12 months, bringing the general numbers nearer to these of the 2019 vacation interval earlier than the pandemic hit. .
China has stated that the testing necessities overseas governments impose on their vacationers, most lately Germany and Sweden, don’t have any scientific foundation and has threatened unspecified countermeasures.
Chinese language well being authorities publish a day by day tally of latest circumstances, extreme circumstances, and deaths, however these numbers embody solely formally confirmed circumstances and use a really slim definition of COVID-19-related deaths.
Officers say that for the reason that authorities ended obligatory testing and allowed folks with gentle signs to get examined and convalesce at dwelling, they will not present a whole image of the standing of the newest outbreak.
Authorities spokesmen have stated the state of affairs is underneath management and reject accusations by the World Well being Group and others that it isn’t being clear concerning the variety of circumstances and deaths or offering different essential details about the character of the present outbreak that might result in apparition. of latest variants.
Regardless of such claims, the Well being Fee on Saturday applied rules to strengthen monitoring for viral mutations, together with testing of city wastewater. The sweeping guidelines known as for elevated information assortment from hospitals and native authorities well being departments and intensified checks on “pneumonia of unknown causes.”
Criticism has largely centered on the strict enforcement of the rules, together with limitless journey restrictions that pressured folks to remain confined to their properties for weeks, typically locked inside with out correct meals or medical care.
Anger was additionally sparked by the requirement that anybody who doubtlessly examined constructive or had been in touch with such an individual be confined for commentary in a discipline hospital, the place overcrowding, poor weight-reduction plan and hygiene have been generally cited.
The social and financial prices in the end sparked uncommon road protests in Beijing and different cities, presumably influencing the Communist Get together’s choice to rapidly calm down the strictest measures and re-prioritize development.
As a part of the newest modifications, China will not file legal costs in opposition to folks accused of violating border quarantine guidelines, in response to a discover issued on Saturday by 5 authorities departments.
These at the moment in custody might be launched and the seized belongings might be returned, in response to the discover.
The Transport Ministry on Friday known as on vacationers to cut back journey and gatherings, significantly in the event that they contain the aged, pregnant ladies, younger kids and other people with underlying situations.
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Related Press writers Raf Wober, Alice Fung and Karmen Li contributed to this report from Hong Kong.