‘Don’t want to wait even a day more’: families reunite as China ends 3 years of zero-Covid curbs

Flights from Canada, Singapore and New Zealand among the first to arrive on first day of zero border controls and quarantine in China since pandemic began

Eight land ports connecting China with neighbouring countries also resume operation, with a negative Covid-19 test the only requirement

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Joy at the arrivals area of Shanghai Pudong International Airport as China scraps quarantine requirements on January 8. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:47pm, 8 Jan 2023Updated: 9:04pm, 8 Jan 2023

China has started receiving its first international travellers on quarantine-free visits as it lifts all border controls and pandemic curbs, ending three years of a strict zero-Covid policy.

Flights from Canada, Singapore and New Zealand were among the first to arrive at the Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai airports in the early hours of Sunday, the first day of curbs-free travel to China since the pandemic began.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport was set to receive more than 2,000 passengers on 14 flights from Doha, Dubai, Jakarta, New York, Seoul and other cities on Sunday, Guangzhou Daily reported.

International travel is picking up speed, with airlines scheduling more flights from this month.

China Eastern Airlines will operate 184 international flights on 48 routes in January, including three per week from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Hungarian capital Budapest, Auckland in New Zealand and Sydney in Australia, according to state broadcaster CCTV.