China to resume issuing visas for foreigners starting March 15

The coronavirus initially broke out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 (Representative image)

China will begin re-issuing various categories of visas to foreigners from March 15, the Chinese Embassy in the United States said on Monday, as the country continues to re-open its borders after three years of COVID-19 containment measures.

In a statement, the embassy said China will also lift visa restrictions for various locations, including Hainan Island and cruise ships passing through Shanghai port.

Visa-free entry to Guangdong for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macao will also be resumed, the embassy said.

China, which dismantled its zero-COVID-19 policy in December and opened its borders a month later, has seen a sharp increase in travel over the past two months.

The country's leaders had signalled victory over a recent COVID-19 surge that gripped the country for months.

New Premier Li Qiang said on Monday China took less than two months to achieve a "smooth transition" in its response to COVID-19 and that the country's strategies and measures had been completely correct.