More

    China to fully reopen borders to foreigners, but near-term hurdles remain

    spot_img

    BEIJING — China will reopen its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in the three years since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted by allowing all categories of visas to be issued starting Wednesday.

    The removal of this last cross-border control measure imposed to guard against Covid-19 comes after authorities last month declared victory over the virus.

    Tourist industry insiders do not expect a massive influx of visitors in the short run or a significant boost to the economy. In 2019, international tourism receipts accounted for just 0.9% of China’s gross domestic product.

    But the resumption of visa issuance for tourists marks a broader push by Beijing to normalize two-way travel between China and the world, having withdrawn its advisory to citizens against foreign travel in January.

    Areas in China that required no visas before the pandemic will revert to visa-free entry, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. This will include the southern tourist island of Hainan, a longtime favorite destination among Russians, as well as cruise ships passing through Shanghai port.

    Visa-free entry for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macau to China’s most prosperous province, Guangdong, will also resume, a boon particularly to high-end hotels popular among international business travelers.

    “The announcement that China will resume issuing nearly all type of visas for foreigners from tomorrow is positive for Australian businesses whose executives would like to travel here to visit their China-based teams, customers and suppliers and to explore new business opportunities in the mainland market,” said Vaughn Barber, chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in China.

    Chinese events open to foreign visitors — such as the China Development Forum in Beijing later this month and the Shanghai Autoshow in April — are gradually resuming. The once-every-four-years Asian Games will also take place in the eastern city of Hangzhou in September after being postponed last year due to China’s Covid concerns.

    But prospective visitors might not immediately arrive in droves.

    Unfavorable views of China among Western democracies have hardened due to concerns over human rights and Beijing’s aggressive foreign policy, as well as suspicions surrounding handling of Covid-19, a global survey by the Pew Research Center in September showed.

    In a further relaxation of controls on outbound tourism, China added 40 countries to its list for which group tours are allowed, bringing the total number of countries to 60.

    But the list still excludes Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States. Ties between those countries deepened as Washington faced off with Beijing over issues from Russia and Ukraine to Chinese military presence in the South China Sea.

    “It’s common to use tourist visas to come to China on business, but I don’t know how enthusiastic institutional investors will be to do so, after all the drumbeat of scary news,” said Duncan Clark, founder of BDA, a Beijing-based investment consulting firm.

    In 2022, just 115.7 million cross-border trips were made in and out of China, with foreigners accounting for around 4.5 million.

    By contrast, China logged 670 million overall trips in 2019 before the arrival of Covid, with foreigners accounting for 97.7 million.

    Source link

    Share

    All countries
    704,753,890
    Total confirmed cases
    Updated on February 15, 2025 9:19 pm
    Italy
    26,723,249
    Total confirmed cases
    Updated on February 15, 2025 9:19 pm
    Spain
    13,914,811
    Total confirmed cases
    Updated on February 15, 2025 9:19 pm
    Iran
    7,627,186
    Total confirmed cases
    Updated on February 15, 2025 9:19 pm
    Germany
    38,828,995
    Total confirmed cases
    Updated on February 15, 2025 9:19 pm

    Latest Updates

    Frequently Asked Questions

    spot_img

    Related Articles

    The 2023 Covid spike is easing in some areas, wastewater testing suggests

    Wastewater data suggest that the recent uptick in Covid cases may have peaked, at...

    Free at-home Covid tests return next week, Biden administration says

    Starting next week, people will be able to once again request four free Covid...

    FDA clears new Covid boosters: 5 things to know

    The Food and Drug Administration earlier this month greenlighted updated Covid boosters from Pfizer...

    New Covid vaccine rollout hampered by canceled appointments, insurance issues

    Some people seeking the newest Covid vaccines are running into high demand, insurance headaches...