Beijing, Sept. 20 (BNA): The Chinese government has released draft rules aimed at facilitating the entry of some foreigners into China to visit tourist sites along the Chinese border.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement on Monday that travel groups organized by tourism agencies in China’s border regions can choose the port of entry and exit “flexibly,” without giving details of locations and dates.
China has closed its borders to foreign tourists since the novel coronavirus outbreak in 2020, with only certain groups of foreign nationals allowed into the country, such as those with certain work visas.
In recent months, the rules have been gradually relaxed, from resuming more direct flights between China and some countries to allowing foreign students with valid residence permits to enter China. Quarantine for foreign arrivals has also been reduced.
China shares borders with more than 10 countries including Russia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
Chinese cities along the border are often affected by imported cases of COVID-19 linked to the land transit of both foreigners and Chinese nationals.
“I think cross-border tourism will recover, although I can’t predict when it will be,” said Yang Jinsong, head of the International Tourism Institute at the China Tourism Academy, a government think-tank.
“It depends on the COVID situation and the effects of anti-virus measures, which the Tourism Department cannot determine.”
MI