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Originally Posted by kb1992
(Post 34875156)
Even if 10-year visas are re-instated again, I doubt many foreigners want to visit China any time soon.
The regime has managed to destroy China's reputation and credibility in a matter of 3 years. For many people outside of China, they have no desire to visit the "evil" country that (they think) started the COVID virus, then blames everything to western "forces", disregards the dignity, fundamental freedom and lives of its own citizens. Not to mention constant lies one after another from its diplomats and MFA spokesmen/women. People remember those random lockdowns and horrible concentration camp style "COVID hospitals" and harshest crack down on any slight dissent. For PRC citizens studying or working abroad, and for those foreign citizens who have families and relatives in China, it's obviously a different situation. |
Originally Posted by kb1992
(Post 34875156)
Even if 10-year visas are re-instated again, I doubt many foreigners want to visit China any time soon.
The regime has managed to destroy China's reputation and credibility in a matter of 3 years. For many people outside of China, they have no desire to visit the "evil" country that (they think) started the COVID virus, then blames everything to western "forces", disregards the dignity, fundamental freedom and lives of its own citizens. Not to mention constant lies one after another from its diplomats and MFA spokesmen/women. People remember those random lockdowns and horrible concentration camp style "COVID hospitals" and harshest crack down on any slight dissent. For PRC citizens studying or working abroad, and for those foreign citizens who have families and relatives in China, it's obviously a different situation. 2. The above sentiment is now the norm for those in the US-aligned West, but is decidedly not true for most of the world. From a Cambridge University study published October this year: Key Findings The world has divided into liberal and illiberal spheres. Among the 1.2bn people who inhabit the world’s liberal democracies, three-quarters (75%) now hold a negative view of China, and 87% a negative view of Russia. However, for the 6.3bn people who live in the rest of the world, the picture is reversed. In these societies, 70% feel positively towards China, and 66% positively towards Russia. Perceived democratic shortcomings are associated with greater public receptivity towards authoritarian powers. A majority of the public is dissatisfied with democratic performance in 7 out of 10 (69% of) countries that are majority-favourable to Russia. Meanwhile, a majority feels positively towards China in three-quarters (73%) of countries that are majority-dissatisfied with how their democracy is performing. China is now ahead in the developing world. For the first time ever, slightly more people in developing countries (62%) are favourable towards China than towards the United States (61%). This is especially so among the 4.6bn people living in countries supported by the Belt and Road Initiative, among whom almost two-thirds hold a positive view of China, compared to just a quarter (27%) in non-participating countries. However this boost in approval across the Global South has come at the cost of a dramatic collapse in support in developed nations. Whereas just five years ago, two in five (42%) western citizens held a positive view of China, today the figure is just half that amount (23%). Russia too has lost its “fringe” support within western democracies. Over the course of the last decade, the proportion of western citizens with a positive view of Russia had already fallen from two in five (39%) to less than a quarter (23%) by the eve of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine – and now stands at just one in eight (12%). Russia has also lost any “leverage points” among formerly sympathetic European countries, including Greece (down from 69% to 30% favourable), Hungary (from 45% to 25%) and Italy (from 38% to 14%). In spite of Russian efforts at fostering disinformation and ties to extremist parties, the country enjoys little support from within western electorates. However, the real terrain of Russia’s international influence lies outside of the West. 75% of respondents in South Asia, 68% in Francophone Africa, 62% in Southeast Asia continue to view the country positively in spite of the events of this year. A World Divided: Russia, China and the West - Bennett Institute for Public Policy (cam.ac.uk) |
Originally Posted by boat stuck
(Post 34875556)
2. The above sentiment is now the norm for those in the US-aligned West, but is decidedly not true for most of the world.
Anyone with half a brain can separate China from the Chinese government. Unfortunately most of the world doesn’t have half a brain anymore |
Between the announcement of no quarantine and implementation on Jan 8, has anyone entered / plan to enter China?
I've seen anecdotes of people arguing with airport personnel (in Nanjing) and getting let go. I personally have delayed entry until after the 8th but it must really suck to still have to quarantine given it's basically a dead policy. |
Originally Posted by YariGuy
(Post 34878969)
Between the announcement of no quarantine and implementation on Jan 8, has anyone entered / plan to enter China?
I've seen anecdotes of people arguing with airport personnel (in Nanjing) and getting let go. I personally have delayed entry until after the 8th but it must really suck to still have to quarantine given it's basically a dead policy. |
I am planning to fly as soon as my meetings can be fixed.
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Still not 100% sure what's the status of border re-opening between China (esp Guangzhou & Shenzhen) and HK.
This site says that "From January 8, 2023, residents of Hong Kong aiming to travel to China will no longer be subject to PCR testing and will not need to quarantine" (bolding is mine). AFAICT Lo Wu is not re-opening these days, nor is the bullet train to SZ North & GZ. Not sure now is the best time to a foreigner to visit guangdong from HK. Anyone biting the bullet these days? Any feedback? |
Originally Posted by maalloc
(Post 34895718)
Still not 100% sure what's the status of border re-opening between China (esp Guangzhou & Shenzhen) and HK.
This site says that "From January 8, 2023, residents of Hong Kong aiming to travel to China will no longer be subject to PCR testing and will not need to quarantine" (bolding is mine). AFAICT Lo Wu is not re-opening these days, nor is the bullet train to SZ North & GZ. Not sure now is the best time to a foreigner to visit guangdong from HK. Anyone biting the bullet these days? Any feedback? https://www.hk01.com/社會新聞/854054/通關-...22323;北 And at least for now even HK residents still need to have a negative Covid test to travel to the mainland. At least the tests are cheap and fast--12 hours turnaround for USD $30 and 24 hours for USD $15 or so. https://www.hk01.com/%E7%A4%BE%E6%9C...94%B6%E8%B2%BB |
Originally Posted by maalloc
(Post 34895718)
Still not 100% sure what's the status of border re-opening between China (esp Guangzhou & Shenzhen) and HK.
This site says that "From January 8, 2023, residents of Hong Kong aiming to travel to China will no longer be subject to PCR testing and will not need to quarantine" (bolding is mine). AFAICT Lo Wu is not re-opening these days, nor is the bullet train to SZ North & GZ. Not sure now is the best time to a foreigner to visit guangdong from HK. Anyone biting the bullet these days? Any feedback? |
For land crossings there's a quota and you reserve a time slot for your crossing on a Government website.
Lo Wu is closed due to renovation. https://www.quotabooking.gov.hk/cbt_...m/index_hk.jsp |
Originally Posted by maalloc
(Post 34895718)
AFAICT Lo Wu is not re-opening these days, nor is the bullet train to SZ North & GZ.
Not sure now is the best time to a foreigner to visit guangdong from HK. |
Originally Posted by tauphi
(Post 34897483)
Futian would be seem to be the best option. It has the highest quota out of all the land borders (35,000 per day) and it has a high-speed railway station with direct connection to Guangzhou and the rest of China. Like Lo Wu it's also on the East Rail line.
Because I expect foreign visa applications to be completely swamped these days, I was hoping to simply get a visa on arrival to be able to cross to SZ this week… which unfortunately rules out futian AFAIK |
Originally Posted by maalloc
(Post 34897725)
True.
Because I expect foreign visa applications to be completely swamped these days, I was hoping to simply get a visa on arrival to be able to cross to SZ this week… which unfortunately rules out futian AFAIK https://www.chinadiscovery.com/shenz...n-arrival.html |
Originally Posted by moondog
(Post 34897754)
I'm not sure how accurate the following site is, but it lists Futian (among other checkpoints):
https://www.chinadiscovery.com/shenz...n-arrival.html Internet seems to disagree re: futian checkpoint… I’ll try to find some info downtown, at worst it’s just an 1h ride to see for myself. |
You can't just decide to ride up to Futian and cross over on the spur of the moment. You first need to reserve a time slot within the available quota on the Government website.
https://www.quotabooking.gov.hk/cbt_...m/index_hk.jsp Remember too not all nationalities are eligible for the Shenzhen visa, and it's especially expensive for Americans at around RMB1000. |
Originally Posted by 889
(Post 34898286)
You can't just decide to ride up to Futian and cross over on the spur of the moment. You first need to reserve a time slot within the available quota on the Government website.
https://www.quotabooking.gov.hk/cbt_...m/index_hk.jsp Remember too not all nationalities are eligible for the Shenzhen visa, and it's especially expensive for Americans at around RMB1000. It looks like situation is too fluid to get a definite answer online. |
Originally Posted by 889
(Post 34898286)
You can't just decide to ride up to Futian and cross over on the spur of the moment. You first need to reserve a time slot within the available quota on the Government website.
https://www.quotabooking.gov.hk/cbt_...m/index_hk.jsp Remember too not all nationalities are eligible for the Shenzhen visa, and it's especially expensive for Americans at around RMB1000. |
You have to book your ferry ticket first, so there's effectively a quota based on ferry capacity but it's not administered as part of the Government's land-border reservation scheme.
Given pent-up demand and the coming CNY, I think it'd take some persistence to get to Shenzhen in January. |
I'm still not clear if transiting through HKIA to the mainland is allowed yet or not. Can I fly SFO-HKG-PVG after Jan 8th with no issues?
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Originally Posted by travelinmanS
(Post 34899905)
I'm still not clear if transiting through HKIA to the mainland is allowed yet or not. Can I fly SFO-HKG-PVG after Jan 8th with no issues?
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The ban on transiting to the Mainland on flights via HKIA is being lifted January 8.
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/break...-for-January-8 |
Originally Posted by travelinmanS
(Post 34899905)
I'm still not clear if transiting through HKIA to the mainland is allowed yet or not. Can I fly SFO-HKG-PVG after Jan 8th with no issues?
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The time has come, restrictions on COVID testing upon arrival and quarantine are lifted in Chinese boarders.
HKIA has also resumed overseas to mainland transit as of today, along with the resumption of ferry services from HKIA to Shekou. Note that a negative COVID result is still required for HK and CN entry (48/24h PCR/antigen before departure for HK, 48h PCR before arrival for CN), and the current HK-mainland entry scheme has limited quota and requires a reservation if you’re traveling through one of the land ports (Lok Ma Chau/Futian Checkpoint, Shenzhen Bay or Man Kam/Wenjindu). If you’re a foreign visitor or HK citizen returning to HK from mainland, you’re exempt from the scheme, and the scheme does not apply to air or ferry travels (albeit you’ll have to get a ticket first). The daily one-way quotas are 35,000 for Lok Ma Chau, 10,000 for Shenzhen Bay and 5,000 for Man Kam. High Speed Rail from West Kowloon is scheduled to resume some time around the 15th, and Lo Wu/Luohu port is currently under renovation. The metro link from Shenzhen Bay into Shenzhen is still under construction. Here’re a few links regarding HK entry and HK-mainland scheme that might be of use: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/...htm?fontSize=1 |
Except that the ten-year L visa in your passport remains suspended and they're not issuing new ones.
Meanwhile, no country has imposed reciprocal bans on Chinese tourists. |
Originally Posted by 889
(Post 34902361)
Except that the ten-year L visa in your passport remains suspended and they're not issuing new ones.
Meanwhile, no country has imposed reciprocal bans on Chinese tourists. |
Originally Posted by 889
(Post 34902361)
Except that the ten-year L visa in your passport remains suspended and they're not issuing new ones.
Meanwhile, no country has imposed reciprocal bans on Chinese tourists. |
Originally Posted by boat stuck
(Post 34903406)
The 144 hour visa-free "transit" is back however. If 6 days (not counting the day you arrive) is enough for your trip, and you are only visiting Beijing/Tianjing, or Shanghai/Zhejiang/Jiangsu, or Guangdong, you can go to China immediately with a simple USA-HKG-China-USA itinerary. Other routings are available, but USA-HKG-China-USA is probably the cheapest--almost back to normal prices.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chin...er-thread.html |
Originally Posted by 889
(Post 34902361)
Except that the ten-year L visa in your passport remains suspended and they're not issuing new ones.
Meanwhile, no country has imposed reciprocal bans on Chinese tourists. It's rubbish that visas for mainlanders haven't been suspended even as those foreigners continue to be so; OTOH, are tourists rushing to be back in a country that refuses to be transparent, and/or where being welded into a room is a fact of the not-so-distant past? |
It’s confirmed that L-visas are still suspended and new tourism visa applications still aren’t accepted according to an announcement today from the Chinese Embassy in U.S.
144h TWOV should be fine if you really, absolutely need to travel to Mainland. |
That announcement, in Chinese, says that previously-issued multi-year visas 仍暂停使用. Since 暂停 "suspend" carries a temporary connotation here, there're some grounds for optimism existing visas will eventually be re-activated.
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Originally Posted by tauphi
(Post 34903801)
At the time the visa suspension was put in place in 2020, both South Korea and Japan had already suspended all visas. These weren't lifted until much later. Japan only lifted its own visa suspension in October 2022.
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Crazy how fast things move now, and the chaos is quite to be expected.. chaps at Air China, Eastern, Southern etc. for sure have VERY interesting times slapping together some kind of timetables, getting outstations up to speed again...
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Originally Posted by tailorgiven
(Post 34904909)
144h TWOV should be fine if you really, absolutely need to travel to Mainland. |
Some thoughts on timing I posted over at the TWOV thread
Originally Posted by percysmith
(Post 34910338)
I’m just wondering what timeline you guys are thinking of for resuming TWOV travel
Right now, giving the amount of paracetamol they’re taking off us (for want of better data), they are currently having a surge even if they do not care to admit it. Is going to a country which is currently having a Covid surge such a great idea? I would give it til Spring - as per the original plan - before going. Or even thinking again about going. |
I already have travel plans booked pretty soon so won't be going
Otherwise I would probably be there today |
I just entered Shanghai through PVG. Be prepared for a long wait if you use the foreigner line. They are grilling everyone (what kind of work do you do? Why are you coming to China? Is your phone number correct?) and checking every detail (woman in front of me copied down her visa number incorrectly on her entry card and this was spotted).
On a tangent, avoid the non-standard taxis (Shanghai old timers will know). Meter tampering is rampant. |
Originally Posted by YariGuy
(Post 34911003)
I just entered Shanghai through PVG. Be prepared for a long wait if you use the foreigner line. They are grilling everyone (what kind of work do you do? Why are you coming to China? Is your phone number correct?) and checking every detail (woman in front of me copied down her visa number incorrectly on her entry card and this was spotted).
On a tangent, avoid the non-standard taxis (Shanghai old timers will know). Meter tampering is rampant. |
Originally Posted by moondog
(Post 34911267)
Did you get a chance to ask them when we can expect the eChannel machines to come out of hibernation during your grilling?
Another reminder - without the automatic entry gates, entry cards are required, and they weren't supplied on my flight, so don't forget to grab one and fill it out while in line. And these are new versions, with further questions on the back side as well, so don't forget the back side. |
Originally Posted by YariGuy
(Post 34911003)
I just entered Shanghai through PVG. Be prepared for a long wait if you use the foreigner line. They are grilling everyone (what kind of work do you do? Why are you coming to China? Is your phone number correct?) and checking every detail (woman in front of me copied down her visa number incorrectly on her entry card and this was spotted).
On a tangent, avoid the non-standard taxis (Shanghai old timers will know). Meter tampering is rampant. |
Originally Posted by YariGuy
(Post 34911003)
They are grilling everyone (what kind of work do you do? Why are you coming to China? Is your phone number correct?
Did you enter on an RP or something else? |
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