China expecting Spring Festival travel crush

BEIJING • The number of passenger trips during China's upcoming Spring Festival travel rush will rise sharply from the corresponding period of this year, transport ministry official Ren Zhouli said on Wednesday.

China's largest annual travel rush will run from Jan 17 to Feb 25 next year. The official said the number of passenger trips during the Spring Festival travel period will increase significantly from the 870 million trips made during the same festival travel rush this year, and even surpass the 1.48 billion trips recorded in the corresponding period last year.

During the 40-day travel season, also known as chun yun, many Chinese people will travel to reunite with their families for the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, which will fall on Feb 1 next year.

China will make efforts to ensure the prevention and control of Covid-19 during the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, according to a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

The meeting urged efforts to ensure orderly travel based on Covid-19 risk levels during the travel season.

Requirements on the sterilisation of public venues, body-temperature checks and wearing of face masks should be fulfilled, according to the meeting, while the transportation of necessities and safe travel should also be guaranteed.

XINHUA