China has announced it will reopen to international foreign visitors on 8 January, 2023. The requirement for travellers to go into a state-controlled quarantine will be lifted on that date, although those entering China will still have to undergo PCR testing 48 hours before departure. The change was announced by China’s National Health Commission and means that the Chinese events market will be able to reopen.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) welcomed also the plans to re-open borders also between Mainland China and Hong Kong saying resumption of travel will rejuvenate the convention and exhibition sector, boosting economic activity and help to accelerate Hong Kong’s economic recovery.
A spokesperson from the HKTDC said: “Given the importance of economic and social connectivity between the Mainland and Hong Kong, the resumption of quarantine-free travel between Mainland China and Hong Kong will certainly be welcomed by many international and Mainland business people who have been waiting for this good news. The unimpeded flow of international and Mainland travellers will also benefit the convention and exhibition sector.”
The lifting of international travel restrictions in Hong Kong in recent months has seen a gradual return of overseas participants to events and the HKTDC says it believes more international and Mainland companies will come to Hong Kong to do business when quarantine-free travel resumes between the Mainland-Hong Kong borders. “To help companies capture even more opportunities, we have lined up a full programme of business events from January onwards,” the HKTDC says.
The HKTDC will kick off 2023 with the Asian Financial Forum (AFF) and Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair and there will be missions to overseas cities in February, and the Jewellery show and Filmart in March.
China is the last major economy in the world to move to an approach of living with Covid, after three years of lockdowns, closed borders and mandatory quarantine for Covid cases and contacts.
The approach and management of Covid in China has been stepped down from the top tier to the second highest level as the country moves away from its zero-Covid policy.
The situation regarding obtaining visas for incoming business travel will also be eased in January, the Chinese authorities said. Chinese nationals planning outbound trips will also have certain restrictions lifted. The cap on the daily number of flights allowed into China is also to be scrapped.
Beijing had been reporting around 4,000 new Covid infections each day over the past week but few deaths. The authorities have also said they would stop publishing case numbers altogether. The British health data firm Airfinity estimated China was experiencing more than a million infections and 5,000 deaths a day, according to Reuters.
The Chinese authorities are also set to offer businesses in the catering and tourism sectors, hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 epidemic some financial support.
Global association of the exhibition industry (UFI) CEO Kai Hattendorf welcomed the change in China: “This is excellent news, as it means that the last major global exhibition market will be able to reopen fully after Covid. We do hope that the officials will follow up with fast and easy visa processes for people to travel to China. We also urge the authorities to include the business events sector into those who will receive special government support to recover after the pandemic enforced inactivities,” he said.
For the official Chinese announcement, see here: https://lnkd.in/efh3Miud
