Hong Kong-Macao Travel Now Even Easier, Hint on Taiwan Travel

By Alistair Baker-Brian

Travel between China’s Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR) has just become even easier, as ‘dynamic zero-COVID’ becomes ever more confined to history. 

As of today, December 23, 2022, the following anti-epidemic rules apply to those who enter Macao from Hong Kong, or from elsewhere outside of the Chinese mainland: 

• Travelers must show a negative nucleic acid test issued within 72 hours when boarding a flight, ferry or bus to Macao. 

• Travelers to Macao will get a yellow code upon arrival on the Macao Health Code app, allowing arrivals to go about ‘normal life’ in Macao (checking-in to hotels, visiting casinos / shopping malls, dining in restaurants / bars, etc.). 
• Those with a yellow must undergo a self-test once per day for the first five days in Macao, and upload their results on the Macao Health Code app; if any of the test results are negative, users will be issued with a red code and will need to undergo home quarantine; users who return five consecutive negative results will be issued with a green code. 
• After arrival in Macao, visitors are not restricted as to when they can leave the SAR, unless they are traveling to the Chinese mainland, in which case they must wait nine days.

Visitors to Macao do NOT need to undergo any form of centralized quarantine after arrival in the SAR. 

On Saturday, December 24, 2022, bus services between Hong Kong and Macao via the Hong-Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will resume. The return service will run between Prince Edward in Hong Kong, and Macao’s northernmost Peninsula territory and southernmost Taipa island. 

Those who live on the Chinese mainland can also travel more easily to Macao. 

READ MORE: No More COVID Tests on Arrival to Macao SAR

Moreover, travel in and out of Hong Kong has also been made easier recently. 

READ MORE: Hong Kong Removes Quarantine Requirements for Overseas Arrivals

READ MORE: Hong Kong Border No Longer Tests Departures to Mainland

What about Taiwan? 

As far back as 2001, direct ferry services have made traveling between the Chinese mainland and parts of Taiwan significantly easier. 

Routes between Xiamen, Fujian province-Kinmen island, as well as Fuzhou, Fujian province-Matsu island have enabled Taiwanese and Chinese mainland residents to more easily do business, visit family and go sightseeing. 

Due to COVID-19, the routes have been out of operation since February, 2020. 

Are they about to come back? 

We can’t be sure yet. However, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Zhu Feng Lian said on December 22 that they would “not stand in the way” of the routes being re-opened. 

Zhu acknowledged that the routes would help enable Chinese mainland-Taiwan engagement, especially during the forthcoming Chinese New Year holiday.   

READ MORE: Authorities Respond to '2+3' Quarantine Policy Rumors

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[Cover image via Weibo/@中国日报]

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