02:41China: 'The future will be better' - Country reopens borders for quarantine-free travels after lifting restrictions
China's Capital International Airport welcomed the first batch of passengers after the country officially reopened its borders and lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers, ending around three years of self-imposed isolation, in Beijing on Sunday.
Footage features flight boards, information about and the status of flights, travelers arriving at the airport with luggage, hugging each other at the arrival gates, and families waiting for their loved ones while holding flowers.
Some people had experienced missing the moments of arriving and welcoming their family members, relatives, or travelers.
"I didn't wait too long. My husband got back three months ago; he needed quarantine in the city at the time. And when he was back in Beijing, he needed another quarantine. Compared to last time, no quarantine is needed anymore. We couldn't welcome him last time," Du, a local, said.
Although the virus has not yet been eradicated, some travelers believe that the recent wave has passed and are optimistic for the future. "I feel this wave of COVID has passed already. Even though the virus is still there, I believe the future will be better and better," said Chang, a traveler from Hong Kong.
On Sunday, China reopened its border with Hong Kong and lifted the final series of a 'zero-COVID' policy that had allegedly protected people from the virus while also cutting them off from the rest of the world. According to Hong Kong's flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, the airline will double its flights to China Mainland.
Since March 2020, all arrivals have been forced to undergo isolation at centrally located government facilities.
02:41China's Capital International Airport welcomed the first batch of passengers after the country officially reopened its borders and lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers, ending around three years of self-imposed isolation, in Beijing on Sunday.
Footage features flight boards, information about and the status of flights, travelers arriving at the airport with luggage, hugging each other at the arrival gates, and families waiting for their loved ones while holding flowers.
Some people had experienced missing the moments of arriving and welcoming their family members, relatives, or travelers.
"I didn't wait too long. My husband got back three months ago; he needed quarantine in the city at the time. And when he was back in Beijing, he needed another quarantine. Compared to last time, no quarantine is needed anymore. We couldn't welcome him last time," Du, a local, said.
Although the virus has not yet been eradicated, some travelers believe that the recent wave has passed and are optimistic for the future. "I feel this wave of COVID has passed already. Even though the virus is still there, I believe the future will be better and better," said Chang, a traveler from Hong Kong.
On Sunday, China reopened its border with Hong Kong and lifted the final series of a 'zero-COVID' policy that had allegedly protected people from the virus while also cutting them off from the rest of the world. According to Hong Kong's flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, the airline will double its flights to China Mainland.
Since March 2020, all arrivals have been forced to undergo isolation at centrally located government facilities.