SINGAPORE/SHANGHAI — Chu Wenhong would fly back to Shanghai and visit her parents at least once a year after she moved to Singapore in 1994.
But she hasn’t been able to do so in the past three years due to China’s signature zero-COVID policy, which involved mass PCR testing, city-wide lockdowns and quarantining all inbound arrivals, including overseas Chinese like Chu.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
The removal of inbound quarantine prompted a surge in demand for plane tickets in countries like Singapore which have large communities of overseas Chinese. The holiday is especially important to Chinese families as it is often the only time of the year when relatives, distant and close, reunite and spend time with each other.China had imposed inbound quarantines on all arrivals from outside its borders since March 2020. The measure discouraged business travel into China and kept families separated for years, as it involved paying to stay inside a hotel room for two to three weeks.
China’s easing over the past month of one of the world’s tightest COVID regimes followed historic protests against a policy that included frequent testing, curbs on movement and mass lockdowns that heavily damaged the world’s second-biggest economy.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China defends its retaliation against South Korea, Japan COVID curbsBEIJING — Chinese state media defended on Wednesday the retaliatory measures against South Korea and Japan over their COVID\u002D19 travel curbs as “reasonable,”…
Read more »
China braces for another COVID-19 wave after Lunar New Year — along with anger at governmentOfficials say COVID cases may have peaked in many parts of China, but will likely spread as 2 billion Chinese travel across the country for Spring Festival
Read more »
China COVID peak to last two-three months, hit rural areas nextThe peak of China\u0027s COVID wave is expected to last two to three months, and will swell over the countryside, a Chinese epidemiologist said.
Read more »
Frustration is rising over COVID drug shortages in China, and there are no easy answersChina residents scrambling to secure Western medications as a wave of Covid-19 overwhelms the country, driving up demand for treatment -- especially for the country's large undervaccinated elderly population.
Read more »
Multi-Family Investment In Canada Will Remain Strong In 2023Despite an uncertain financial environment, interest and investment in Canada's multi-family rental properties are expected to remain high in 2023 as more and more Canadians become renters. Morguard | realestate realestatenews Canada rentalmarket
Read more »
Republicans open long-promised investigation into Biden family‘Now that Democrats no longer have one-party rule in Washington, oversight and accountability are coming,’ Rep. James Comer says
Read more »