Millions on the move as China eyes holiday bounce

Domestic travel has sprung back to life giving the Chinese economy a boost

Last updated: October 01, 2020 | 11:56

AFP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Senior Web Editor

2 MIN READ

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Hundreds of millions in China hustled to enjoy their first major national holiday since the country beat its coronavirus outbreak, filling airports and train stations.

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The Golden Week holiday marks the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and sees an astonishing annual movement of people trying to get home or take holidays.

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But this year has added significance, with the crowds filling the concourses pointing to a country rebounding from the outbreak and parading the freedom to travel as a contrast to the rolling lockdowns hitting much of the world.

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Domestic travel has sprung back to life and given the economy a boost after the virus shuttered businesses and scared away tourists following its emergence in Wuhan late last year.

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A girl wearing a face mask sits on top of a bag as she travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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A girl wearing a face mask sits on top of a bag as she travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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A police officer (centre L) checks identification cards as people queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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Passengers wait for their trains one day ahead of an eight-day national holiday marking China's National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival at Hangzhou East train station, in China's eastern Zhejiang province

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A worker (L) wearing full protective gear watches a monitor that reads passengers temperatures at a security checkpoint ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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People queue up to check in for domestic flights ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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A boy wearing a face mask sits on top of luggage as he travels with relatives ahead of the country's national "Golden Week" holiday at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

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