Mainland China welcomes back Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan stage stars as zero-Covid curbs lifted
- Approval of performance applications by entertainers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to start on February 16, Ministry of Culture and Tourism says
- Eased rules do not apply to foreign entertainers and their staff unless they are already in mainland China
Provincial departments could resume vetting and approving performance applications by entertainers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan from February 16, the ministry said in a public notice.
But the relaxation did not apply to foreign entertainers and their staff unless they were already on the mainland, the notice said.
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The ministry also reminded departments to ensure that effective pandemic control measures were implemented by the concert and show organisers.
Concerts and entertainment shows are big business in China but they had been effectively halted in the past three years under a strict zero-Covid policy marked by border controls, lockdowns and frequent mass testing.
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At the few public performances exempted from the ban, audiences were required to observe strict rules limiting interaction.
The country’s tight Covid-19 travel restrictions also meant that very few overseas entertainers were able to visit. As a result, many entertainers such as major Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars Andy Lau and Jay Chou switched to online streaming to reach out to their mainland fans and audience.
Performances by mainland artists had already restarted after the pandemic measures were eased, with the crowds returning to theatres, cinemas, live shows and theme parks.
New Year’s Eve countdowns were packed in major cities, despite a surge in Covid-19 cases and related deaths across the country.
As top mainland entertainers returned with concerts and live shows, digital daily The Paper reported that a number of their counterparts in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore were also planning mainland tours.
