China removes more Covid travel restrictions with new passports, permits

Customers buy sugared floss at a popup store in Beijing,on Dec. 27, 2022. Companies welcomed China's decision to end quarantines for travellers from abroad as an important step to revive slumping business activity. - AP

BEIJING (Bloomberg): China will start issuing new passports and Hong Kong travel permits to mainland residents as it removes some of the tourism barriers from three years of strict Covid restrictions.

The government will also resume express checkpoints on the borders with Hong Kong and Macau among measures due to start on Jan 8, the National Immigration Administration said in an announcement on WeChat. Applications by foreigners to extend or renew visas will also re-commence.