China to open border with Hong Kong after three years of tight control - CNN

Hong Kong CNN  — 

The Chinese authorities announced connected Thursday that it volition reopen its borderline with Hong Kong connected January 8, astir 3 years aft it was mostly unopen successful an effort to incorporate the dispersed of Covid.

Up to 60,000 Hong Kong residents volition beryllium capable to transverse the borderline into the mainland arsenic a gradual reopening of borderline power points begins, Hong Kong person John Lee told media connected Thursday pursuing an announcement from Beijing.

The displacement volition destruct what had been a mandatory quarantine for travelers from Hong Kong to the mainland. All travelers volition beryllium required to trial antagonistic for Covid via a PCR trial wrong 48 hours of crossing, and rider quotas use to question successful some directions.

The announced reopening falls connected the aforesaid time China volition driblet quarantine requirements for planetary arrivals and scrap a fig of Covid restrictions connected airlines successful spot since the commencement of the pandemic.

The changes travel amid Beijing’s abrupt dismantling of its stifling Covid controls, pursuing nationwide protests. The evident reopening of the mainland comes aft 3 years of self-imposed planetary isolation, during which efforts to resume regular transit with Hong Kong were repeatedly delayed.

Most of antecedently bustling borderline crossings betwixt Hong Kong and mainland China had been unopen since aboriginal 2020, placing a dense load connected families and businesses with ties connected some sides.

The quota includes 50,000 radical to question via 3 onshore checkpoints, portion the remaining 10,000 are for radical traveling via the Hong Kong International Airport, 2 ferry piers and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

The headdress does not use to Hong Kong residents traveling backmost to Hong Kong from the mainland, nor mainland Chinese traveling backmost to the mainland from Hong Kong, Lee said.

In summation to testing, beforehand bookings volition besides beryllium required for immoderate travel.

According to a connection from China’s State Council, flights from Hong Kong and neighboring Macau to mainland China volition resume and caps connected rider capacities volition beryllium lifted; the fig of flights volition summation successful a “phased and orderly” fashion, the connection said.

Land and maritime borderline power points betwixt mainland China and Hong Kong and Macao volition besides resume successful a “phased and orderly” manner.

China volition besides resume issuing tourer and concern visas for mainland Chinese residents traveling to Hong Kong, the connection added.