China to reopen its borders, resume all visas for tourists

China has announced it will resume all visa travel, officially reopening its borders to tourists for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started three years ago.

Health officials in Beijing and at the World Health Organization called for and implemented travel restrictions during the pandemic to help combat the infection’s spread.

Now, China is looking to resume tourism to boost its economy.

“China will continue to make better arrangements for the safe, healthy and orderly movement of Chinese and foreign personnel on the basis of scientific assessments and in light of the situation,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters. “We also hope that all parties will join China in creating favorable conditions for cross-border exchanges.”

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The announcement on Tuesday came after the country declared a “decisive victory” over COVID-19 in February. 

It is one of the last major countries to reopen its borders to tourists.

Tuesday’s notice did not specify whether vaccination certificates or negative COVID-19 tests would be required.

China previously stuck to a harsh “zero-COVID” strategy involving sudden lockdowns and daily COVID-19 testing.