The customs clearance channel for Chinese citizens reads "China welcomes you back". [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Starting Jan 8, inbound travelers no longer need to take PCR tests or quarantine upon arrival in China.

At 9:37 am, after flying for 13.5 hours, flight JD436 from Lisbon, Portugal landed at the Hangzhou International Airport in Xiaoshan district, becoming the first international flight to land in Hangzhou after the upgrading of COVID-19 prevention and control measures. A total of 241 travelers were on board, including 217 Chinese people and 24 foreigners.

According to immigration inspection staff at the airport, more than 1,300 inbound passengers on eight flights and 1,100 outbound passengers on seven flights passed through the airport on Jan 8, the day of the resumption of regular flights.

Terminal 2 has opened two channels for Chinese citizens, taking into account the customs clearance needs of different types of entry-exit personnel and aiming to improve the overall efficiency of customs clearance.

Before the pandemic, Hangzhou International Airport was the largest airport in Zhejiang province and offered direct or indirect flights to more than 60 countries on five continents. The number of international flights currently sits at 14, with the frequency of flights increasing by nearly 360 percent.

A woman taking flight JD436 from Lisbon, Portugal lands in Hangzhou on Jan 8. It was the first flight since the resumption of regular flights. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]