Since China downgraded its COVID-19 management and optimized immigration policies on January 8, immigration management authorities nationwide have registered a total of 39.72 million people entering and exiting the country as of Tuesday, up by 112% from that of the same period last year, the Global Times learned from the National Immigration Administration on Wednesday.
Inbound and outbound transport, including ferries, trains and airplanes, recorded a surge of 59.3 percent at 2.5 million vehicles in the past two months, according to data shared by the administration.
Across the country, immigration authorities have issued 3,362,000 passports for private citizens, an increase of 1,221 percent from before the optimized epidemic prevention measure. Over 12,670,000 mainland travel permits for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are issued, up by 838 percent; and 122,000 residence permits for foreigners issued, up by 33 percent.