China expects daily cross-border travel to surpass 2 million during upcoming holidays

China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has projected average daily cross-border passenger flows of more than 2 million during the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday periods, with the busiest day expected to see over 2.4 million crossings.

In particular, cross-border passenger flows are expected to peak on Sept. 25, Sept. 27, Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, according to NIA figures on Tuesday.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional holiday celebrated with lanterns and mooncake treats, runs this year from Sept. 25 to 27. That puts just three workdays between the festival and China’s week-long National Day holiday, which kicks off on October 1.

According to forecasts, inbound and outbound passenger flows at major airports and ports will grow steadily during the two major holidays.

At international airports such as Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, and Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, the average daily passenger throughput during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday is expected to reach 105,000 trips, 55,000 trips, 54,000 trips, 20,000 trips, 18,000 trips, and 18,000 trips, respectively.

During the week-long National Day holiday, it is expected to reach 107,000 trips, 55,000 trips, 55,000 trips, 21,000 trips, 18,000 trips, and 17,000 trips, respectively.

As Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will host a variety of large-scale events during the holiday periods, including lantern fairs, fireworks displays, and concerts, passenger flows at border checkpoints near the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions are expected to increase significantly.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, daily inbound and outbound passenger flows at Shenzhen’s Luohu Port, Shenzhen Bay, Futian Port, West Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, and Liantang Port are expected to average 263,000, 212,000, 191,000, 126,000, and 100,000, respectively. During the National Day holiday, the average daily volume of inbound and outbound trips is expected to reach 250,000, 202,000, 198,000, 130,000, and 95,000, respectively.

Major checkpoints in Zhuhai, a city in Guangdong Province, including the ports of Gongbei, Hengqin, Qingmao and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, are expected to see heavy cross-border traffic during the holidays.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the average daily number of inbound and outbound passengers at the ports of Gongbei, Hengqin, Qingmao and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, will reach 383,000, 121,000, 115,000, and 100,000, respectively, while during the National Day holiday, their numbers are projected to be 388,000, 127,000, 119,000, and 106,000, respectively.

French President Emmanuel Macron, addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, described the situation in Gaza as a spectacle that “shames us all”, stressing that the so-called peace in the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave has not led to the opening of even a single humanitarian corridor there.

In his speech at the 81st session of the UNGA, Macron questioned what would become of the international community’s credibility if it continued to remain inactive on Gaza, and rejected claims that peace had already been achieved there.

“But what is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza? Some boast about a so-called peace, but this peace has not opened a single humanitarian corridor, not even for a second. Do we have to stand by and watch this spectacle that makes us all ashamed? Never!” said Macron.

The French president also drew attention to the situation in the West Bank, noting that violations are taking place there every day. He pointed out that Hamas has never operated in the West Bank.

Macron warned that these day-after-day practices are making it increasingly difficult to achieve the goal of respecting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to their right to exist.