Chinese citizens will be able to travel abroad more easily, the immigration authority announced on Tuesday. After three years of lockdowns, closed borders, and mandatory quarantine for Covid cases and contacts, China is the world’s last major economy to adopt a “living with Covid” policy. The so-called zero-Covid approach wreaked havoc on the economy and made citizens tired of restrictions and repeated tests. Within hours of the announcement, China’s top online travel agencies reported a surge in traffic. Many people will be hoping to see family and friends during Chinese New Year, which begins on January 22.
In 2019, there were 155 million Chinese tourists travelling abroad before the pandemic. This figure is expected to fall to 20 million by 2020. People in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are reporting a shortage of flu and cold medicine. Because crematoriums are overcrowded, hundreds of deaths may go unreported. Many people have expressed concern about borders reopening as Covid cases increase. On Monday, President Xi delivered his first remarks on the crisis, urging officials to do everything “possible” to save lives.
