Overseas Chinese Get Back to Home

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2006-01-26 21:15 · Holidays

I never travel before the Chinese New Year on International (Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau) flight.

:-) International (Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau) is the standard term to discribe the type of flights in China. Although flight from Hong Kong is not international flight, passengers follow the same procedures as International flight. That is the reason it is quoted that way.

Every Spring Festival, transportation within China is a big problem, but I never imagine that international (T/H/M) flights are the same.

Besides me are two gentleman from Indonisia. They are going back home at a small village in Taijin. The flight was fully packed with people. Many of them bring children with them.

Then I realized how important Hong Kong plays a role as the connection between China and the world. Many passengers fly to Hong Kong first, and then transit to Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai. Hong Kong obviously have more connection to other Asia countries than any mainland airport does.

Taiwan and Mainland China

There is still no direct flight from Taiwan and any mainland city till now. If people want to go to Shanghai from Taipei, he/she needs to wake up very early, take flight to Hong Kong, transit there to Shanghai. It takes about 5 hours or more. It is the same for peopel to go to Taipei (if he/she luckily got the permit after a very lengthy procedure).

It is very inconvinient, especially at the Spring Festival. Some data show there are more than one million people from Taiwan are working or living in Shanghai (the official number is much smaller). It is almost impossible for people to get back to Taiwan for Spring Festival via Hong Kong.

This year, as the last few years, direct flights are provided between major cities and Taipei. As I know, there are Beijing - Taipei, Shanghai - Taipei, and Xiamen - Taipei flights. The ticket is around 4000 RMB.

At Pudong Airport, I saw many signs for the flight. This is one example:

They have special lanes at security check for passengers at the direct flight, and there were intensive media coverage.

9 Comments
JS, do you need a visa for visiting Hong Kong? and does the authority stamped it in your passport?
— stephen · 2006-01-26 23:40
Going to Shanghai in April for couple weeks. Got really good local information from your blog :)
— Lucincia · 2006-01-27 04:19
Yes. I need to get a visa-like pass, and I need a special booklet, something like passport, called Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan Pass.

The procedure is, I need to get the HK/MC/TW Pass booklet first, and get a Hong Kong permit (up to 7 days) to visit Hong Kong.

The routine to visit Hong Kong is very similiar as that to U.S. - exit the border of mainland China and enter the border of Hong Kong. The authority will stamp when I leave mainland China border, when I enter Hong Kong, and leave Hong Kong...
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2006-01-27 21:25
As an expatriate from the US living in Shanghai, I use your blog very often to learn how to do things. Thanks! I wonder if you could help me get information about mainland Chinese travel to Hong Kong. We want to take our friend and her son to visit HK Disneyland and Ocean Park. Our group would be 3 adult and 3 children from the US and one adult and one child from SuQian, Jiangsu. We already know they can only get group tour visa. Where can I find out more information, like can we hire a private guide and arrange a custom tour?
— Shanghai Grace · 2008-02-01 18:02
what are the requirements to get PRC passport for oversees chinese descent, who want's to return china
— francis · 2008-02-08 14:21
diz is da gayest shit i've seen
— jonathan villicana · 2008-02-09 01:45
@jonathon villicana - wanna see something even more gay?? Look in the mirror, Jerk!! Hmm - and I'm sure you've seen a lot of shit in your time. Oh, and perhaps you want to go back to school to learn how to write in english... Fool!!
— AussiePB · 2008-02-09 20:50
Hi Francis,

I can't answer your question...sorry about that. But I'd like to add a similar question: How can a former Chinese citizen who has in the meantime assumed foreign citizenship can regain his Chinese citizenship?

There will certainly be regulations as to how to assume Chinese citizenship. As for overseas Chinese, I think the Chinese government will probably welcome them. But as for former Chinese citizens (now with "traitor status") trying to regain Chinese citizenship, I guess it's much more difficult.
— DB · 2008-02-10 22:58
Update:

Francis, pls s. http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?tid=555109, posting by "herringbone" in the middle of the page, for precise information.

It seems as if the first step would be to check if one of your parents is a Chinese citizen. If this condition is met, further steps can be considered, otherwise it's hopeless.
— DB · 2008-02-15 00:22