Hong Kong carriers forced to cancel 150 flights to Japan
1 year, 10 months ago

Hong Kong carriers forced to cancel 150 flights to Japan

Firstpost  

New Delhi: At least 150 flights will be cancelled from Hong Kong to Japan in the coming month as the country continues to impose limits on planes from the city. The Seoul notice, posted on the embassy’s WeChat social media account, said the ban would continue until South Korea lifts its “discriminatory entry measures” against China. A South Korean Foreign Ministry statement said that “our government’s step to strengthen anti-virus measures on passengers arriving from China is based on scientific and objective evidence … and we have communicated with the Chinese side in advance.” A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said earlier that it would be “regrettable” if restrictions were imposed. A withholding of visas from South Korean or Japanese businesspeople could delay a hoped-for revival of commercial activity and potential new investment following China’s abrupt lifting of anti-virus controls last month. “Regrettably, a handful of countries, in disregard of science and facts and the reality at home, have insisted on taking discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Tuesday.

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History of this topic

Air travel emerges from turbulence of pandemic
4 months, 1 week ago

Air travel emerges from turbulence of pandemic

China Daily  

A passenger from Fuzhou, Fujian province poses for a photo with greeters at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, in the Malaysian state of Sabah, on June 27, when Xiamen Airlines resumed its Fuzhou-Kota Kinabalu route. The strong outbound travel demand has prompted more Chinese airlines to launch new direct flights and increase the frequencies of current flights to Japanese cities, …

Once the pride of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific becomes government’s punchbag
6 months ago

Once the pride of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific becomes government’s punchbag

Al Jazeera  

Flag carrier has become a regular target of government criticism as it struggles to recover from the COVID pandemic. After Cathay cancelled more than 700 flights scheduled between December and February, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told local reporters he was “very concerned” and wanted local aviation to “rebuild its capacity fast”. In an article the following month, …

Airlines ready to spread their wings again
1 year, 4 months ago

Airlines ready to spread their wings again

China Daily  

Passengers line up at the check-in counter for international flights operated by China Southern Airlines at Beijing Daxing International Airport in March. Last month, an economic work meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee called for an increase in the number of international flights in the second half of this year. As of Aug …

China keen to restart direct flights to India
1 year, 8 months ago

China keen to restart direct flights to India

Live Mint  

China is keen to resume direct flights with India and negotiating on the matter in the next few months, according to people aware of the matter. China’s strict covid-19 travel restrictions also played an important role in closing off direct flights. We hope that direct flights between China and India will be resumed as soon as possible.” A query to …

China is fully reopening to tourists after three years of border restrictions
1 year, 9 months ago

China is fully reopening to tourists after three years of border restrictions

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — After three years of pandemic border restrictions, China is fully reopening to foreign visitors – including tourists. In a Chinese-language statement posted on its website Monday, China’s Embassy in the United States said the country would resume issuing all categories of visas for foreigners from Wednesday. Chinese authorities last month declared a “major and decisive victory” …

Hong Kong airport’s passenger volume surges as China reopens
1 year, 10 months ago

Hong Kong airport’s passenger volume surges as China reopens

Hindustan Times  

The number of people passing through Hong Kong’s airport skyrocketed last month as travel restrictions eased and China reopened borders for the first time since the pandemic began. Hong Kong International Airport reported 2.1 million passengers in January, nearly 2,900% growth from the same period last year. FILE PHOTO: A passenger walks to the First Class counter of Cathay Pacific …

British Airways to resume flights to mainland China after two-year suspension
1 year, 10 months ago

British Airways to resume flights to mainland China after two-year suspension

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy British Airways will resume flights to mainland China from April onwards. British Airways has been taking …

China to fully resume travel with Hong Kong, Macau on February 6
1 year, 10 months ago

China to fully resume travel with Hong Kong, Macau on February 6

Hindustan Times  

China said on Friday that cross border travel between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau would fully resume from Feb. 6, dropping existing quotas and scrapping a mandatory COVID-19 test that was required before travelling. Group tours between China and its two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau would resume, while the number of customs checkpoints open will …

World's biggest welcome: Hong Kong offers 5 lakh free flight tickets to woo tourists after Covid isolation
1 year, 10 months ago

World's biggest welcome: Hong Kong offers 5 lakh free flight tickets to woo tourists after Covid isolation

India Today  

Hong Kong is ready to welcome the world back after a lull of more than three years over tough Covid curbs. Hong Kong leader John Lee unveiled on Thursday a promotion campaign that will include 5,00,000 free flights to lure visitors, businesses and investors back to the financial hub, Reuters reported. The government's rebranding campaign, "Hello, Hong Kong", bills itself …

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 starting Jan. 30 as part of its strategy to return the semi-autonomous Chinese city to normalcy, the city’s leader said Thursday. For most of the pandemic over the last three years, Hong Kong has aligned itself with mainland China’s “zero COVID” strategy, requiring those …

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases

Firstpost  

For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s zero-COVID strategy, requiring those who tested positive to undergo quarantine. Many residents once had to be sent to hospitals or government-run quarantine facilities even when their symptoms were mild Hong Kong: Hong Kong will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 from 30 January as …

WHO appeals to China to release more COVID-19 information
1 year, 11 months ago

WHO appeals to China to release more COVID-19 information

LA Times  

Travelers prepare to catch their trains in Beijing on Sunday. The World Health Organization has appealed to China to keep releasing information about its COVID-19 infections after the government announced nearly 60,000 deaths since early December following weeks of complaints it was failing to tell the world what was happening. The World Health Organization has appealed to China to keep …

Chinese travellers head to Hong Kong for mRNA Covid vaccines: Report
1 year, 11 months ago

Chinese travellers head to Hong Kong for mRNA Covid vaccines: Report

Hindustan Times  

Scores of mainland Chinese travellers are rushing to Hong Kong to receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which are not available on the Chinese mainland, as the country grapples with a torrent of infections which have overwhelmed its health system. Chinese travellers head to Hong Kong for mRNA Covid vaccines: Report A private hospital in the special Chinese administrative region of Hong …

China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs: 'Reasonable...'
1 year, 11 months ago

China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs: 'Reasonable...'

Hindustan Times  

Chinese state media defended on Wednesday the retaliatory measures against South Korea and Japan over their COVID-19 travel curbs as "reasonable", while Chinese tourists decried Seoul's "insulting" treatment on social media. China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs. South Korean foreign minister Park Jin has said that Seoul's decision was based on scientific evidence and that …

China Suspends Travel Visa For South Koreans Amid Protests Of COVID Curbs
1 year, 11 months ago

China Suspends Travel Visa For South Koreans Amid Protests Of COVID Curbs

ABP News  

The Chinese Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday announced the suspension of its short-term visa service for South Koreans in retaliation against the country's regulations travellers from the neighbouring country in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak. China Welcomes First Batch Of International Travellers After Scrapping Quarantine Norms For the first time in three years, China on Sunday opened its …

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening
1 year, 11 months ago

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening

Associated Press  

BEIJING — After years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening Sunday of border crossing points. On a visit to the station Sunday morning, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said the sides would continue to expand the number of crossing points …

China has reopened its borders to tourists after three years of COVID-19 closure
1 year, 11 months ago

China has reopened its borders to tourists after three years of COVID-19 closure

NPR  

China has reopened its borders to tourists after three years of COVID-19 closure Enlarge this image toggle caption Bertha Wang/AP Bertha Wang/AP After years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening Sunday of border crossing points. Those crossing between Hong Kong and …

Global Covid scare witnesses surge amid resumption of air travel by China
1 year, 11 months ago

Global Covid scare witnesses surge amid resumption of air travel by China

India TV News  

As China opened borders and resumed travel on Sunday, billions of local travellers are set to make overseas trips in the next few days, triggering Covid surge concerns in various countries. "The order numbers for international flights recorded a year-on-year growth of 628 per cent, reaching the highest since March 2020, data from online travel agency LY.com showed," said the …

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening
1 year, 11 months ago

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening

LA Times  

A woman holding a bouquet of flowers reacts with her relatives surrounded by journalists as she arrives from Hong Kong, at Terminal 3 international arrival hall of the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing on Sunday. Travelers crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China, however, are still required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 48 hours, …

China seeks to minimise COVID-19 risk during travel rush
1 year, 11 months ago

China seeks to minimise COVID-19 risk during travel rush

The Hindu  

China is seeking to minimise the possibility of a major new COVID-19 outbreak during this month’s Lunar New Year travel rush following the end of most pandemic containment measures. People using public transport are also urged to wear masks and pay special attention to their health and personal hygiene, Vice Minister Xu Chengguang told reporters at a briefing. China abruptly …

Beijing threatens response to ‘unacceptable’ virus measures
1 year, 11 months ago

Beijing threatens response to ‘unacceptable’ virus measures

Associated Press  

BEIJING — The Chinese government sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations. “We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a …

China ‘under-representing’ severity of COVID outbreak, says WHO
1 year, 11 months ago

China ‘under-representing’ severity of COVID outbreak, says WHO

Al Jazeera  

A senior official at the WHO criticised China’s ‘too narrow’ definition for COVID-related deaths. China’s official data is under-representing the true impact of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, a senior World Health Organization official has said, criticising its “very narrow” definition of COVID deaths. Meanwhile, in a briefing earlier on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated that the …

China blasts ‘unacceptable’ COVID curbs on travellers
1 year, 11 months ago

China blasts ‘unacceptable’ COVID curbs on travellers

Al Jazeera  

The US, Canada, Japan and France are among more than a dozen countries that have put curbs on travellers from China. China has called the mounting international restrictions on travellers from its territory “unacceptable” after more than a dozen countries placed new coronavirus curbs on visitors from the world’s most populous nation. An “overwhelming majority” of the EU’s 27 member …

Canada, Australia impose rules on travellers from China
1 year, 11 months ago

Canada, Australia impose rules on travellers from China

The Hindu  

Australia and Canada have joined a growing list of countries requiring travellers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic. Australian health authorities said on January 1 that from January 5 all air travellers from …

Canada, Australia impose COVID rules on travelers from China
1 year, 11 months ago

Canada, Australia impose COVID rules on travelers from China

Associated Press  

BEIJING — Australia and Canada have joined a growing list of countries requiring travelers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic. Australian health authorities said Sunday that from Jan 5. all air travelers …

State media says Covid curbs on Chinese travellers ‘discriminatory’
1 year, 11 months ago

State media says Covid curbs on Chinese travellers ‘discriminatory’

Hindustan Times  

Beijing: Chinese state media on Thursday said restrictions imposed by several countries, including India, on travellers from China were “discriminatory”, amid reports of Covid rampaging through the country after it reversed some of the world’s strictest virus-control policies in early December. “Since the outbreak of the epidemic, China has been sharing relevant information and data with the international community, including …

‘Real intention is to sabotage’: China calls Covid curbs for Chinese travellers ‘discriminatory’
1 year, 11 months ago

‘Real intention is to sabotage’: China calls Covid curbs for Chinese travellers ‘discriminatory’

Firstpost  

Countries including India, United States, South Korea, Italy, Japan and Taiwan have imposed mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China after the country reported spike in cases Beijing: Several countries have announced mandatory testing for travellers from China in response to a surging wave of Covid-19 infection in the Asian nation. For the unversed, India, United States, South Korea, Italy, …

Covid data transparent, insists China as nations impose more travel curbs
1 year, 11 months ago

Covid data transparent, insists China as nations impose more travel curbs

India Today  

When China, a country of 1.4 billion people, suddenly decided to end zero-Covid policy three years into the pandemic, there was an explosion in number of fresh cases. READ | China may become breeding ground for new Covid variants as cases spike: Experts This created a Covid scare forcing countries to begin testing of fliers from China and elsewhere. Covid …

Airlines give lukewarm reaction to China’s border reopening amid Covid-19 surge
1 year, 11 months ago

Airlines give lukewarm reaction to China’s border reopening amid Covid-19 surge

Hindustan Times  

The world’s airlines are taking a cautious approach to China’s reopening, reluctant to immediately change up schedules and divert planes from other routes despite the internal pent-up demand for international travel. Airlines give lukewarm reaction to China’s border reopening amid Covid-19 surge Scheduled flights into China during January, February and March are up no more than 2.9% this week compared …

Japan eases COVID curbs on flights from Hong Kong after backlash
1 year, 11 months ago

Japan eases COVID curbs on flights from Hong Kong after backlash

Al Jazeera  

Hong Kong travellers will be able to fly into three more Japanese airports than previously as measures eased. Japan has partially eased COVID-19 restrictions limiting flights from Hong Kong to a handful of designated airports following protests by the Chinese territory’s government. Japan, a popular destination for Hong Kong residents, will now allow travellers from the financial hub to fly …

Covid-19 pandemic: Australia could place new restrictions on Chinese travelers
1 year, 11 months ago

Covid-19 pandemic: Australia could place new restrictions on Chinese travelers

Daily Mail  

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to rule out forcing new Covid-19 restrictions on Chinese travellers amid fears another new variant could soon hit our shores. China this week announced plans to scrap quarantine restrictions on overseas arrivals and allow citizens to leave the country, despite an explosion of new cases nationwide in recent weeks. Australia could place reinstate restrictions …

Hong Kong scraps almost all remaining covid barriers for visitors
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong scraps almost all remaining covid barriers for visitors

Live Mint  

Asia’s financial hub will end social distancing, obligatory vaccine proof and almost all testing requirements for visitors, joining Beijing in accelerating moves to open up after three years of Covid-19 controls hit both economies. Hong Kong’s latest rollback came two weeks after authorities canceled the rule barring visitors from restaurants, bars and other venues for their first three days in …

Hong Kong Scraps Vaccine Pass, COVID-19 Tests for Travellers
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong Scraps Vaccine Pass, COVID-19 Tests for Travellers

News 18  

Hong Kong will scrap some of its COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for inbound travellers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues, the city’s leader said on Wednesday. For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, requiring stringent COVID-19 tests and isolation for close contacts of infected cases as well as for incoming travellers. …

Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travelers
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travelers

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong will scrap some of its COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for inbound travelers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues, the city’s leader said Wednesday. For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, requiring stringent COVID-19 tests and isolation for close contacts of infected cases as well as for …

China to lift Covid-19 travel restrictions after 3 years of coronavirus lockdown
1 year, 11 months ago

China to lift Covid-19 travel restrictions after 3 years of coronavirus lockdown

Hindustan Times  

Come January, China will practically abandon its three-year-old zero Covid policy and its international isolation, fully opening its airports and ports for travel and trade amid the massive coronavirus outbreak in the country. China to finally lift Covid-19 travel restrictions after 3 years of coronavirus lockdown Starting from January 8, China will cancel nucleic acid tests for international arrivals, the …

Chinese Make Travel Plans as Ban Lifted but Covid Curbs in these Nations to Dampen Mood
1 year, 11 months ago

Chinese Make Travel Plans as Ban Lifted but Covid Curbs in these Nations to Dampen Mood

News 18  

China announced it will lift restrictions on outbound travel this week after a period of almost three years. China, which implemented the Covid Zero strategy – where focus lied on eliminating the virus – and subjected people to mass quarantine, mass testing and snap lockdowns, is seeing a major surge in Covid cases as Chinese President Xi Jinping did a …

Families rejoice after years of separation as China ends inbound quarantine
1 year, 11 months ago

Families rejoice after years of separation as China ends inbound quarantine

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — China’s partial reopening has been met with an outpouring of joy and relief from citizens – both the hundreds of millions isolated inside the country for the past three years and those overseas separated from their loved ones. “Finally, everybody can their normal life,” said one Chinese national living in New York, who hasn’t been home …

Jubilant Chinese plan trips as inbound Covid quarantine set to end
1 year, 11 months ago

Jubilant Chinese plan trips as inbound Covid quarantine set to end

Firstpost  

Cases have surged in China as key pillars of the containment policy have fallen away, with authorities acknowledging the outbreak is “impossible” to track and doing away with much-maligned official case tallies Beijing: People in China reacted with joy and rushed to book flights overseas Tuesday after Beijing said it would scrap mandatory Covid quarantine for overseas arrivals, ending almost …

Chinese make travel plans as Covid rules ease further
1 year, 11 months ago

Chinese make travel plans as Covid rules ease further

India Today  

Chinese people, cut off from the rest of the world for three years by Covid-19 curbs, flocked to travel sites on Tuesday ahead of borders reopening, even as rising infections strained the health system and roiled the economy. Zero-tolerance measures - from shuttered borders to frequent lockdowns - have battered China's economy since early 2020, fuelling last month the mainland's …

As COVID-hit China opens up to travel, others secure their doors
1 year, 11 months ago

As COVID-hit China opens up to travel, others secure their doors

Al Jazeera  

Japan joined India Tuesday in imposing restrictions on Chinese visitors as Beijing relaxed its norms for travellers. Japan will tighten border controls for COVID-19 by requiring tests for all visitors from China starting Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced, even as Beijing said it would scrap mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals. The developments come days after the World Health Organization …

Companies welcome end to China quarantines for visitors
1 year, 11 months ago

Companies welcome end to China quarantines for visitors

LA Times  

China has ended COVID-19 curbs that confined millions of people to their homes, but hospitals have been flooded with patients. Companies welcomed China’s decision to end quarantines for travelers from abroad as an important step to revive slumping business activity while Japan on Tuesday announced restrictions on visitors from the country as infections surge. He said ending the quarantine “clears …

China to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for incoming passengers
1 year, 11 months ago

China to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for incoming passengers

LA Times  

People coming to China will still need a negative virus test 48 hours before departure and will need to wear masks aboard planes, the country’s health commission said. China will drop a COVID-19 quarantine requirement for passengers arriving from abroad starting Jan. 8, the National Health Commission announced Monday in the latest easing of the country’s once-strict virus-control measures. People …

One-day tally of COVID cases in China hits 37 million: Report
2 years ago

One-day tally of COVID cases in China hits 37 million: Report

Al Jazeera  

Nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with COVID-19 on a single day this week, the Bloomberg news agency has reported, citing minutes from an internal meeting of the country’s National Health Commission held on Wednesday. Concerns over official statistics On Thursday, health data firm Airfinity estimated that there are likely more than 5,000 daily deaths and …

Covid: 71% Indians want all flights from China to be shut down, finds survey
2 years ago

Covid: 71% Indians want all flights from China to be shut down, finds survey

Live Mint  

As Covid cases surge in China, a recent survey showed that 71% citizens feel that India should shut down flights from China. The survey asked citizens, “COVID led by new variants like BF.7 is rapidly rising in China in regard to both infections spreading and mortalities. There were 16% respondents who said “It should only suspend flights from China and …

China vows to drop some travel tracking in COVID rule easing
2 years ago

China vows to drop some travel tracking in COVID rule easing

Associated Press  

BEIJING — China said it would stop tracking some travel, potentially reducing the likelihood people will be forced into quarantine for visiting COVID-19 hot spots, as part of an uncertain exit from the strict pandemic policies that helped fuel widespread protests. The move follows the government’s dramatic announcement last week that it was ending many of the strictest measures, following …

China to drop travel tracing requirement as it relaxes strict 'zero-COVID' policy
2 years ago

China to drop travel tracing requirement as it relaxes strict 'zero-COVID' policy

Firstpost  

The move follows the government’s snap announcement last week that it was ending many of the most draconian measures Beijing: China will drop a travel tracing requirement as part of an uncertain exit from its strict “zero-COVID” policies that have elicited widespread dissatisfaction. The move follows the government’s snap announcement last week that it was ending many of the most …

China reports two new COVID-19 deaths as some restrictions eased
2 years ago

China reports two new COVID-19 deaths as some restrictions eased

The Hindu  

China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions following increasingly vocal public frustrations. Yet, an outpouring of public anger appears to have prompted authorities to lift some of the more onerous restrictions, even as they say the “zero-COVID” strategy—which aims to isolate every infected person—is still in place. The requirement …

Beijing under semi-lockdown as new COVID-19 cases hit China
2 years, 1 month ago

Beijing under semi-lockdown as new COVID-19 cases hit China

The Hindu  

The coronavirus situation in China has become grim again with the number of COVID-19 cases rising to over 25,000, including more than 500 in Beijing, prompting city officials to advise millions of residents to stay home this weekend and undergo daily testing. Beijing wore an eerie look on Saturday with most of its residents staying home after several districts in …

China announces optimization of COVID-19 rules
2 years, 1 month ago

China announces optimization of COVID-19 rules

China Daily  

China will cut COVID-19 quarantine period for incoming travelers from 10 to 8 days, cancel the circuit breaker for inbound flights and no longer determine secondary close contacts of confirmed cases, health authorities said on Friday. According to the notice released by the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism, international travelers will undergo five days of centralized quarantine plus …

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