Passengers from mainland China will be allowed to travel through Hong Kong International Airport from Saturday, according to new rules.
Hong Kong airport announced on Thursday that passengers from mainland China will soon be able to transfer or transit through Hong Kong to other destinations from Aug. 15 until Oct. 15.
Students to Travel as EU Lifts Restrictions for China
Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. will be a beneficiary of the new policy, enabling Chinese students to resume studies at overseas universities, given rival Hong Kong Airlines fly only regionally in Asia, the South China Morning Post reported.“China is relaxing in an orderly and gradual manner visa restrictions for foreigners entering China to resume economic activities and for other essential purposes,” Zhao said. Over the following two days, Chinese embassies across Europe all posted that eligible foreign nationals with residence permits could now apply for new Chinese visas in 36 European countries.
Hong Kong airport had started allowing transit passengers not from mainland China through the airport on June 1 for a maximum of eight hours.
The airport authority told The Epoch Times in an email that it “has implemented a host of enhanced health measures at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to prepare for the gradual resumption of transfer/transit services.”
“This issue is exacerbated by brokers and airline insiders selling tickets at a mark-up.”
Hong Kong reported 69 new CCP virus cases on Thursday, of which 4 were from returning international travelers. This was slightly down from early-August when cases were closer to 100.
Authorities cautioned the global financial hub still faced a critical period to control the virus, which has seen a resurgence since early July.