China to allow visa-free entry in bid to boost tourism

China had a zero-Covid policy for many months (Andy Wong/AP)

China is to reopen its borders to tourists and resume issuing all types of visas after a three-year halt during the pandemic.

The announcement on Tuesday came after it declared a “decisive victory” over Covid-19 in February.

All types of visas will resume from Wednesday. Visa-free entry will also resume at destinations such as Hainan Island as well as for cruise ships entering Shanghai that had no visa requirement before Covid-19.

Covid measures have been lifted in Beijing and other cities (Andy Wong/AP)

Visa-free entry will resume for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macao to enter Guangdong in southern China, and foreigners holding visas issued before March 28 2020 that are still valid will be allowed to enter China.

The announcement did not specify whether vaccination certificates or negative Covid-19 tests would be required.

The move would “further facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel”, according to the notice posted on the websites of numerous Chinese missions and embassies.

China had stuck to a harsh “zero-Covid” strategy involving sudden lockdowns and daily Covid-19 testing to try to stop the virus before abandoning most aspects of the policy in December amid growing opposition.