This means that all Hong Kong residentsexcept for those coming from mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, or New Zealandwill have to spend at least 14 days in quarantine upon arrival regardless of vaccination status. could be sentient says Microsofts chatbot feels like watching the A cruise company is making a big play for remote workers to sail around the world for just $30,000 a year, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. But hoping that mainland China will reopen its borders may ultimately leave Hong Kong effectively sealed off from the rest of the world for the foreseeable future. Hong Kong has banned all noncitizens and nonresidents since the spring of 2020. On Sunday, a member of the Executive Council told local media the city might not be able to open its China border until February. And if Hong Kong wants to reopen to the mainland, it may have to abide by a similar zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Given Chinas zero tolerance for Covid cases, it is likely that some restrictions might stay in place until the Beijing Winter Olympics next February, or even as late as the 20th Communist Party Congress next fall both politically important events of which Beijing wants to ensure absolute success. When will China open its borders to Denmark? Coronavirus in 2021: rules Last month, online magazine ChinaFile said among 121 China-connected scholars, journalists, former diplomats and civil society workers it surveyed, only 44% said they planned to travel to China once coronavirus restrictions are lifted; 40% said they probably or definitely would not visit, while the rest were unsure. Updated All our stories relating to the pandemic and the vaccines can be found on our coronavirus hub. China's border reopening and travel restrictions - South China Morning Post Sign up here. 3:31 AM EDT, Fri October 8, 2021. If the pandemic continues for a long time, even the strictest prevention and control methods will not work forever, Zhong said. Lots of Chinese are cross about a lack of overseas praise for their countrys strict approach. We have made it very clear that our focus will be opening the border with the mainland. Things can change fast in China. Residents from many provinces now get shopping coupons when they are vaccinated, and nationwide 20m doses are being administered every day. The five-yearly party congress in late 2022 is expected to confirm Xi Jinping as the countrys leader for at least another five years. How harsh are Chinas COVID restrictions? Rick Bowmer/AP The record breaking rains, and similar flooding incidents happening in other parts of the country, have alarmed scientists and officials raising questions as to whether China is prepared to deal with more extreme weather as the climate crisis deepens. Zhongs comments suggest that Chinas government may be warming to the idea of learning to live with COVID, marking another shift in stance. Equally, China may want to buy time for a locally made mRNA vaccine that is known to be in development. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. Today (Saturday, 5 June 2021) the borders of China are fully open for 0/ 32 countries, partially open for 51/ 32 countries. Only 36% of people over the age of 60 have gotten one dose, according to government data, which means that a Delta outbreak could prove deadly in Hong Kong. Updated: 12:08pm, 24 Jul, 2021. For a lot of people, this is starting to go on two years missing grandparents, births, deaths, birthdays, anniversaries, etc, one senior banker in Hong Kong told Reuters. Nicholas Thomas, a professor of health governance at the City University of Hong Kong, says that such strict measures may be necessary to protect Hong Kong citizens from a new outbreak, especially owing to the fact that much of the city remains vulnerable to infection. It has been about 2 years that foreign students cannot come to China, but there are still possibilities that C. That may take a while.. If youre planning a trip to China, heres what youll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic. our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. I n March 2020, . It is true that China can afford to be in no . Last month, Bloomberg reported that regulators had instructed major creditors of Evergrande to conduct a fresh round of stress tests on their exposure to the firm, to assess the potential hit to their capital and liquidity should Evergrande run into trouble. White House has confirmed the reopening date for international tourism, current travel curbs will be lifted on November 8. Discovery Company. Zhong said that trying to keep the disease out of China forever may become futile, especially as a high nationwide vaccination rate renders the disease less dangerous. The fired Google engineer who thought its A.I. But if it continues on its current path, theres no telling when China will feel confident enough to reopen the border, or what criteria Hong Kong needs to meet leaving the city at the whim of the central government, simply waiting to be allowed in. China may be only monthsif not weeksaway from Zhongs target. Copyright The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. Passengers walk through Salt Lake City International Airport, Oct. 27, 2020. The lowest estimate was 6.6 billion USD per year, with a disclaimer that it could well be double that figure. Images of mask-less Westerners on crowded beaches or rampaging at anti-lockdown protests are a staple of Chinese news coverage. Terms & Conditions. China cannot carry on like this because COVID-19 is a global disease that requires China and the rest of the world to work together and beat it, he said. 2:39 AM EDT, Wed July 21, 2021. For the newly qualified entrants, entry depends on having received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines at least 14 days prior to entry. Updated: 3:23pm, 21 Jun, 2021. . Zhongs comments are the first indication that China is tying its reopening plans to a vaccination goal. China is the last large country in the world with a zero-covid policy. Your browser does not support the