China observed the first day of "chunyun," the 40-day period of Lunar New Year travel that was formerly the largest yearly movement in the history of the world. The country was preparing for a significant rise in travellers and the development of COVID-19 illnesses.
This Lunar New Year public holiday, which officially runs from Jan. 21, will be the first since 2020 without domestic travel restrictions.
China's "zero-COVID" regime has been dramatically dismantled during the past month as a result of historical demonstrations against a policy that included frequent testing, restricted movement, mass lockdowns, and significant economic harm to the world's No. 2 economy.
Investors are hoping that the reopening will eventually reinvigorate a $17-trillion economy suffering its lowest growth in nearly half a century.