China has announced that it will restart issuing passports for tourists, marking yet another significant departure from the anti-virus restrictions that kept the nation closed for over three years.
President Xi Jinping's administration is trying to reverse an economic recession, and Tuesday's declaration is the latest in a series of sudden measures that are loosening some of the world's strongest anti-virus restrictions, according to AP News.
China's infection rate was low due to the zero COVID policy that kept millions of people at home, but they frustrated the public and slowed economic progress.
The easing of China's travel restrictions is likely to lead to a huge number of Chinese tourists going abroad next month for the Lunar New Year.
For the Lunar New Year, which starts on January 22 and is typically the biggest travel period in the country, the most recent decision might drive spendthrift Chinese visitors to revenue-starved countries in Asia and Europe. However, there is a risk they might transmit COVID-19, which is on the rise in China.
In response to the surge of illnesses, Japan, India, South Korea, and Taiwan have instituted mandatory COVID-19 testing for Chinese tourists.
After the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, China ceased granting visas and passports to foreigners and Chinese citizens, respectively.
Passport Processing Resumes on January
According to China's National Immigration Administration, passport applications for Chinese citizens traveling overseas will be accepted beginning January 8.
The agency said on Tuesday that it will once again accept and approve applications for regular passports from Chinese citizens who want to travel or visit family abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday, Xinhua News reported.
The notice also stated that the government would resume issuing exit and entry permits for the People's Republic of China and exit and entry permits for border control areas, as well as processing endorsements for mainland Chinese citizens planning to visit the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for tourism and business.
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The announcement stated that accelerated processes might be requested in cases of emergency and that services relating to the application of regular visas, stay permits, and residency permits by foreigners will be resumed.
China's travel policy revisions and zero COVID policy relaxation would bring advantages to global economic development, noted Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry.
China Airports Prepare for Surge of Travelers
Meanwhile, airports in China have begun to prepare for an influx of passengers now that the country's borders have reopened as the Lunar New Year approaches.
North Asia regional vice president for the International Air Transport Association Xie Xingquan praised China's reopening, predicting it will have a "positive" impact" on the Asia-Pacific aviation market, per South China Morning Post.
The group predicts that passenger volume will increase to 70% of 2019 levels in 2020, but Xie warned that China must be "well-prepared" to minimize disruption.
The official said that the Chinese government's next step is to do away with the requirement for COVID-19 testing before departing. Also, he said that the whole aviation value chain should have the right tools and resources to handle the expected rush of air travelers and avoid the problems and travel delays that happened in other countries when their borders "reopened."
After China declared reopening its borders on January 8, canceling COVID-19 testing and quarantine for incoming travelers under the zero COVID policy, various Chinese travel booking sites noticed a rise in searches for foreign flights.
