Footage broadcast by state news agency Xinhua and shared widely online shows passengers in Zhengzhou trapped inside a flooded subway car, packed tightly together as the water climbs higher. Land travel from Mexico and Canada will require proof of vaccination but no test. vaccination programme. But one city, arguably Asias biggest financial center, is absent from the list: Hong Kong. You can also find trackers showing the global roll-out of vaccines, excess deaths by country and the viruss spread across Europe and America. Hong Kong CNN It's been nearly. Hordes of Chinese tourists are now only found in China. A single case can lead to city-wide testing and lockdown. It has had only a few new cases in recent months. But in order to err on the side of caution, and to prevent the spread of the disease, we have to [impose restrictions]Everything we are doing is to protect Hong Kong from another major outbreak.. The government rejected an offer for them to fly in by charter plane for a brief inspection visit in protective suits. Editors Note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world. including those from China or Russia, will not be . This means that all Hong Kong residentsexcept for those coming from mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, or New Zealandwill have to spend at least 14 days in quarantine upon arrival regardless of vaccination status. In order to open its borders, China will first have to vaccinate its population. and relaxing . You can travel to China without applying a new visa if you qualify for visa-free transit policy. At least 12 people have been confirmed dead in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, where more than 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of rain fell in one hour on Tuesday, according to the meteorological observatory. Zhongs comments suggest that Chinas government may be warming to the idea of learning to live with COVID, marking another shift in stance. About 90% of the adult population is fully vaccinated. "I'm planning to take my baby down for the American Thanksgiving," said Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas, Ontario. Listen to this article:37. . The party has several important events it does not want disrupted by covid-19 outbreaks. Vaccinated motorists line up to cross the border at the San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-US border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 7, 2021. Photo: AP. Those with a head for heights should make an appointment with the horizontal skyscraper. That may take a while.. Though not a scientific survey, the results nevertheless suggest a significant shift in attitudes among a group of prominent figures in the China field, most of whom would almost certainly have planned to travel to the country a year or two ago as part of their professional routines, it said. Chinese officials declined to explain. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Hong Kongs strict new quarantine rules will effectively close the city off from international travel for the foreseeable future at the same time that other major financial centers like New York, London, and Singapore have been pursuing reopening plans even amid the rise of the highly transmissible Delta variant. Or you can also apply a new visa to China. On the boundary with Canada, cross-border hockey rivalries were community traditions until being upended by the pandemic. There will be CDC workers spot-checking travelers for compliance in the U.S. At land borders, Customs and Border Protection agents will check vaccine proof. When will China open its borders? Still, one case was particularly concerning to authorities. 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Chinese officials grumble that America and the European Union have yet to approve a vaccine from China. Perhaps China wants to protect domestic drugmakers from competition, suggest foreign diplomats. Terms & Conditions. There are a few reasons why Hong Kong has made this decision, said Nicholas Thomas, an associate professor at the Department of Asian and International Studies at the City University of Hong Kong. Is crazy to think he has a whole other side of the family he hasn't even met yet.". All our stories relating to the pandemic and the vaccines can be found on our coronavirus hub. The reasons are many. A woman looks out at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor on September 30. The record breaking rains, and similar flooding incidents happening in other parts of the country, have alarmed scientists and officials raising questions as to whether China is prepared to deal with more extreme weather as the climate crisis deepens. China won't open up after lockdown anytime soon 26 September 2021 Author: Nicholas Thomas, CityU What is normal in a post-pandemic world? This week, it further clarified that the change although not yet legislated has already been effective since the announcement, amid confusion over its implementation. Now the the types of visas you can apply for include Z visa, M visa, Q visa, S visa, X visa, etc. Its much more unsettling to think you could be thrown in jail as a hostage simply because you hold an American passport, the way Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were thrown in jail as Canadian hostages, in retaliation for something my government did that the Chinese regime didnt like, wrote James Mann, a journalist and author on China. Jul 17th 2021 I T IS BECOMING clear that China will not, or perhaps cannot, re-open its borders soon. Rigorous testing and 20 million vaccinations a day might see Beijing ready to host the Winter Olympics 2022. Chinese officials are looking with considerable interest at how herd immunity works in highly vaccinated countries with different combinations of vaccines, such as in Israel and Seychelles. Offers may be subject to change without notice. As of May 20, travelers from the United States and Canada no longer have to take a PCR test seven days before flying to China. This Supreme Court Case Could Redefine Crime, YellowstoneBackers Wanted to Cash OutThen the Streaming Bubble Burst, How Countries Leading on Early Years of Child Care Get It Right, Female Execs Are Exhausted, Frustrated and Heading for the Exits, More Iranian Schoolgirls Sickened in Suspected Poisoning Wave, No Major Offer Expected on Childcare in UK Budget, Oil Investors Get $128 Billion Handout as Doubts Grow About Fossil Fuels, Climate Change Is Launching a MutantSeed Space Race, This Former Factory Is Now New Taipeis Edgiest Project, What Do You Want to See in a Covid Memorial? China may open its borders to visitors in October 2021 according to current trends: The use of COVID-19 vaccines around the world is improving the situation. Moreover, China is in a better position than most countries to stay closed: its exports have barely been affected, and foreign direct investment is higher than it was before the pandemic. appreciated. However, the Omicron variant has proven challenging, and the government is still pursuing a zero Covid strategy. The city government doesnt want to be seen as pursuing an opposing policy as the rest of China, Thomas said. Anecdote by anecdote, evidence is mounting that foreigners, whether suspected of bearing dangerous germs or ideas, are becoming less welcome. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. On Sunday, a member of the Executive Council told local media the city might not be able to open its China border until February. Hong Kong may prove to be a bellwether. Its bad enough to have to worry youll be jailed in retaliation for whatever critical comments you made even years ago. When borders reopen to tourists, countries that ran large surpluses on their tourism accounts pre-Covid -- Thailand and New Zealand among others -- stand to gain the most, writes Asia Chief economist Chang Shu. A Warner Bros. As of Monday, China has fully vaccinated 74.8% of its population, while 82.5% of Chinese citizens have received at least one vaccine dose. These include the Winter Olympics that Beijing will host next February and a Communist Party congress in late 2022, at which Xi Jinping is set to seek a fresh term as supreme leader. August 17, 2021, 10:54 AM UTC In June, Hong Kong began loosening pandemic travel restrictions that, over the past 18 months, have transformed it from "Asia's World City" to one of the most. More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the U.K. and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status. Amid its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, in June Hong Kong announced that it would reduce hotel quarantine periods to seven days for fully vaccinated travelers, signaling that the city might have been on the way to reopening as an international travel hub. Moodys and Fitch also both downgraded Evergrandes credit rating in June, citing its worsening financial conditions. Vaccine politics bring further complications. The bottom line is that businesses should be aware that the risks faced in mainland China are now increasingly present in Hong Kong, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. Did you encounter any technical issues? The vaccination campaign initially targeted key workers and those with a high chance of being exposed to or transmitting the virus. China is basically going to pursue the zero-tolerance strategy for the foreseeable future, which means Hong Kong can either go in opposition (and open internationally) or align with China.. Editors Note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world. China is facing a dilemma: how to reopen its borders to foreign visitors - as some other nations are considering doing - while stepping up its. Any change to this message would take time and would also be embarrassing. At present, more than 15 million people have been vaccinated in China. Why you can trust SCMP . Did you encounter any technical issues? Beijing, where top leaders live, is off limits. But hoping that mainland China will reopen its borders may ultimately leave Hong Kong effectively sealed off from the rest of the world for the foreseeable future. Among those who replied they would probably or definitely not visit, reasons ranged from previous visa rejections to outright fear of detention for themselves and for the Chinese people they work with or interview, and concerns that restrictions on movement, research, or reporting would compromise the professional value of spending time in China, said ChinaFile, which is published by the Asia Societys Center on US-China Relations. State media describe foreigners, notably Americans, as too selfish, science-scorning and obsessed with individual rights to control the virus. If Hong Kong reopens to international travel, it almost certainly will see a spike in infections and lose all chance of reopening with China. Residents from many provinces now get shopping coupons when they are vaccinated, and nationwide 20m doses are being administered every day. Locally made jabs have been given to two-fifths of the population, with assurances that they are highly effective. The downgrade reflects Evergrandes weakened funding access and reduced liquidity buffer given its large debt maturities in the coming 12-18 months amid the tight credit environment in China and volatility in the capital markets, Cedric Lai, a vice president and senior analyst at Moodys, said in a statement at the time. The Delta variants rampage through other countries has confirmed leaders belief that moving towards a covid tolerant society would be disastrous. For 18 months, Chinas borders have been all but locked, with most foreigners banned from entering the country and residents able to enter only after serving 14- to 21-day mandatory quarantines. Their resentment is both sincere and stoked by propaganda that accuses American leaders of slandering China to cover up their cruel incompetence and 600,000 pandemic deaths. China may be only monthsif not weeksaway from Zhongs target. All rights reserved. China May Have More to Lose If Borders Open to Tourists. Britain said on Tuesday it would permanently, the Foreign Correspondents Club of China. List of countries for which the borders with Estonia are partially or completely open: Non-vaccinated air travelers will be also able to enter but they will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. At that time, Chinas top respiratory expert, Zhong Nanshan, revealed that the number inoculated was 3.56%, a proportion set to rise to 40% by the end of June. China has tripled its daily COVID-19 vaccine rollout in June, inoculating 44% of its population with at least one dose, but its health experts warn against a quick border reopening, citing an . Will Chinas solitude come to an end? public health experts and local politicians. Hong Kongs vaccination campaign has improved in recent months after a sluggish start, but 50% of Hong Kong residents remain completely unvaccinated. (Ambassadors may quarantine at home for 21 days, but only if their residence is a detached house and they are driven there with a police escort.). China now issues a few visas for temporary business and family visits. The government plans to achieve two negative tests from each person in the entire population of about 240,000 from the local Yantian region, before declaring the crisis over. Canada will finally open its borders, first to Americans, beginning August 9 By Paula Newton, CNN Updated 5:28 PM EDT, Mon July 19, 2021 . Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. But there's one condition: they need to have received a China-made Covid-19 vaccine. Their concerns include rules obliging all international arrivals, including children, to quarantine in a hotel for three weeks, and to enter an isolation clinic if they test positive. Chan . Shanghai's neon skyline is one of China's modern wonders. Theres no plan of a specific date or anything at all.. These travelers will be permitted to visit specific sites as part of group tours, not on individual itineraries. On Monday, the city increased the mandatory quarantine on Hong Kong residents returning from 16 countries, including the U.S., to 21 days. Updated: 3:23pm, 21 Jun, 2021. . Propaganda outlets stress that new cases involve arrivals from abroad. Now, the global financial hub is once again sealing its borders. Travelers at Shenzhen Bay Immigration Control Point in Hong Kong on September 15. Arrivals are screened once more at the airport. Meanwhile, nationalistic sentiment, which was already rising in China prior to the pandemic, has reached new heights. All of the bodies recovered were taken from the citys subway system, according to authorities. For the newly qualified entrants, entry depends on having received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines at least 14 days prior to entry. Subscribe to Fortune Dailyto get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning. In the article, many respondents cited the ongoing detainment of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor as a primary source of their anxiety. In August, analysts at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and other banks downgraded Chinas GDP forecasts because of Delta-driven waves in places such as Guangzhou and elsewhere. If the pandemic continues for a long time, even the strictest prevention and control methods will not work forever, Zhong said. The city of Guangzhou recently built a $260 million, 5,000-room central quarantine facility to house incoming travelers, stoking fears among experts that China may construct such facilities across the country to maintain border restrictions and long quarantines for years to come. The lowest estimate was 6.6 billion USD per year, with a disclaimer that it could well be double that figure. The city is now effectively stuck in limbo, backed into a corner by its own policies with no easy path out. The government will have to convince people that they have to and can live with Covid. In June, Hong Kong began loosening pandemic travel restrictions that, over the past 18 months, have transformed it from Asias World City to one of the most closed-off places on the planet. The deep freeze on international tourism due to Covid restrictions has been tough on most Asian economies, but for China, borders closed to tourists is a net positive, according to Bloomberg Economics research. A combination of education, incentives, regular small outbreaks and the occasional rumour about future vaccine shortages is likely to suffice. The provisional timeline of the second half of 2022 was set during a mid-May meeting of the countrys cabinet, or State Council, attended by officials from Chinas Foreign Ministry and National Health Commission, among other government bodies, one of the people said. Evergrande said Monday that it would take legal action against the creditor for demanding the court freeze its assets. . The Hong Kong government needs to get more people vaccinated, and then also be looking at booster shots before they can really start to relax their guard, he says. Finally, the west is doing its own reopening. On Sunday, a member of the Executive Council told local media the city might not be able to open its China border until February. Updated CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. China may reopen Hong Kong border in early December Number of visitors would initially be limited to a few hundred per day, Hong Kong newspaper reports. Many people in China like being covid-free. Terms & Conditions. Indonesia and Thailand are among those now planning booster jabs with Western vaccines, at least for medical workers. Headhunters are struggling to attract new talent to Hong Kong, with people looking instead to places with more relaxed rules. Many attractions require guests to register one day in advance and to take a Covid test before being permitted to enter. our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. In order to open its borders, China will first have to vaccinate its population. According to the World Health Organization, more than 40 countries have started vaccinating. The citys government is desperate to open its border with mainland China. All Rights Reserved. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam at the Legislative Council on October 6. List of countries for which the borders with Estonia are partially or completely open: