It's a big moment for China - which is finally ditching one of the central planks of its zero-COVID strategy - but concerns remain over a surge in cases in the country.
With foreign travel off the table since 2020, travel companies have reported a big increase in inquiries about holiday destinations near China, such as Indonesia and Thailand.Sunday's border change is a significant moment after China cut itself off from the rest of the world as it enforced its zero-COVID strategy.The government finally rowed back from that after its citizens grew increasingly exasperated and took to the streets at the end of 2022 in some of the biggest protests for years.
However, coronavirus infections in China have surged as a result, with hospitals said to be inundated with patients., have responded in recent weeks by imposing fresh rules on arrivals from China, such as the need to show a negative test before flying. Governments and the World Health Organisation are concerned that China is concealing the extent of its surge in deaths and infections - something it denies.
The reopening of borders also coincides with the start of New Year travel, during which people traditionally return to their hometown to see family.Related Topics
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