Quarantine-free high-speed rail travel between Hong Kong and mainland China will resume today.This is one of the last constraints
Quarantine-free high-speed rail travel between China and Hong Kong to resume today – photo: Sam Tsang
Quarantine-free high-speed rail travel between Hong Kong and mainland China will resume today.
It is one of the final restrictions on the reopening of cross-border travel after three years of pandemic border closures were phased out this month. China ended its strict COVID-Zero policy on Dec. 8 and has been battling a surge in cases since then — exacerbated by low vaccination rates. Beijing has also given up on compiling official daily statistics, although studies estimate that 64% of the country is now infected.
While the daily cap of 60,000 people crossing the border remains in place, the true test of free movement will come on Jan. 23, when millions of Chinese citizens make the pilgrimage to their hometowns for the annual Lunar New Year pilgrimage. Much of the travel will affect rural areas where the infection and death rates are suspected to be highest.
Travel between Hong Kong and the mainland will almost certainly ease on Chinese New Year’s Eve after nationwide protests forced the government into action. However, the low vaccination rates across China and the lack of clear statistics – since the cancellation of COVID-19, the true death rate is suspected to be several times higher than the official figure of 40 – most likely obscure the extent of COVID-19 in China actual impact. mid term.
