COVID-19: China To Reopen Borders With Hong Kong, Macau

China has announced it will reopen its borders with the territories of Hong Kong and Macau after nearly three years of closure.

The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said on Friday that all remaining restrictions would be dropped, with group tours allowed to restart.

Hong Kong leader John Lee also said on Friday that partial reopening had been “orderly, safe and smooth”.

Lee announced that the territory would now scrap the longstanding requirement for all visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Hong Kong has been largely sealed off for much of the past three years as its government sought to follow pandemic policies with the mandatory quarantine of up to three weeks for arrivals, as well as intensive testing and screening.

The pandemic restrictions are estimated to have cost the territory about $27bn and local officials are hoping an influx of visitors will revitalise the country’s tourism and retail industries.