Hong Kong-China border reopens, no Covid isolation

Beijing: Chinese mainland on Monday fully resumed normal travel with Hong Kong and Macao, in what is expected to be a strong boost for the two regions' economic development.

The Covid-19 testing requirements and daily quotas will be dropped and all boundary checkpoints will reopen, Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee said. The ban on unvaccinated travelers from anywhere in the world will also be lifted.

Starting Monday, the Lo Wu Control Point, the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Control Point and the Heung Yuen Wai/Liantang Control Point opened up, marking the full resumption of the functioning of all seven boundary control points between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, reports Xinhua news agency.

Monday's first group of travellers included students and people travelling for business and family reunions.

At the Liantang Control Point, red welcome banners and flower bouquets added to the joyful atmosphere greeting commuters.

At around 6:30 a.m., cross-boundary students and their parents, who were about to leave for Hong Kong for the new semester, had queued up for departure.

Pan Qiaojuan, who lives in Shenzhen's Luohu district, arrived early with her son for the long-awaited trip.

"I've been looking forward to this moment. Today, my son will go back to his middle school in Hong Kong and we will also visit his grandparents there. We haven't seen one another for a long time."

Group tours between the mainland and the two regions also resumed on Monday.

China reopened its border with Hong Kong last month but allowed only limited travel after Beijing dropped the zero-Covid strategy that separated families, cut off tourism and adversely impacted businesses.