Opinion
Why Australians should return to this astounding country
Brian Johnston
Travel writerOne of the world’s largest countries, 1.4 billion people, 5000 years of civilisation, and constantly in the news headlines. But hey, if you think China isn’t worth visiting, then stay at home with your head in the sand.
The Great Wall is just one of many incredible historic sites in China.Credit: iStock
It astounds me that even some experienced travellers now think China is no longer a safe or worthy place to visit. Or that China is a second-rank tourism destination that can’t compare to America or Europe.
Facts say otherwise. In 2019 just before the COVID-19 pandemic, China ranked fourth in the world for international arrivals, the vast majority of whom were Asian.
And if you think travellers haven’t yet returned, you’d be wrong. The China Tourism Academy expects 90 million overseas visitors this year – although that’s significantly down on pre-pandemic levels (and the number of Australian residents visiting also remains down by about 50 per cent).
China hasn’t changed. It remains one of the world’s outstanding destinations for landscapes, history and culture. It isn’t all about the Great Wall or Terracotta Warriors, either. China has 56 World Heritage and umpteen other fabulous sights: ancient towns, temples and palaces, glittering cities, outsized scenery.
Beijing’s Forbidden City. China is no longer forbidden to tourists since borders reopened in March.Credit: Getty
China has some of the world’s best cuisines, too. And where to begin with the objects displayed in its museums? The quality of bronze, porcelain and painting produced over millennia staggers the mind.
Even if you forget all that, China is worth visiting. A holiday here provides insights into the world’s most talked-about nation, undergoing the biggest and most rapid transformation in human history.
Is it all positive change? Of course not. Every country has its problems, and rapidly changing societies may well have more problems than most. But look beyond the China-bashing that has become a staple of Western media and you’ll find little gloom on the ground.
First-time visitors to China, with all their preconceptions, are often open-mouthed at China’s well-run cities and first-class tourism facilities. Far from being downtrodden, the Chinese are generally optimistic, energetic, eager to learn and determined to improve their lives.
It’s an eye-opener. It’s exciting. Every time you return you find something new, more problems getting addressed, another technology. Why wouldn’t you want to see for yourself a nation squarely at the centre of world affairs – and sure to remain there for the rest of our lifetimes?
Locals dance in a restaurant’s swimming pool during Beijing’s heatwave earlier this month.Credit: Getty
China reopened its borders to tourism in March this year. Sure, for a while it was wise to stay away as COVID-19 was erupting among a population previously subject to strict lockdowns.
But China abandoned its zero-COVID policies in December 2022, and the virus now circulates through the population as it does everywhere else. Mask-wearing is no longer required, and anyone testing positive with mild symptoms can self-quarantine.
You should ideally be fully vaccinated, steer clear of indoor crowds and continue mask-wearing on public transport, but that’s the way I travel anywhere, including in Australia.
As always, tourists need a visa, with some exceptions such as cruise-ship passengers. Your only additional hassle is a self-administered COVID test within 48 hours of flying, declared on a health-declaration form for arrival. Keep up with the latest protocols here.
The other reason to wait was that, when borders first reopened, flights into China from Australia were at a quarter of pre-pandemic levels, and expensive. Besides, it seemed considerate to leave limited seats to overseas Chinese longing to see family.
That no longer applies. Seven Chinese carriers currently fly into Australia, providing 90 per cent of pre-pandemic capacity, and prices have fallen sharply. Flights will keep increasing. In mid-July, for example, China Eastern launches three flights weekly from Sydney to Wuhan and Nanjing, and takes departures from Sydney and Melbourne to Shanghai to 26 weekly.
The wait-and-see approach was only sensible, and you don’t want to visit China during the northern summer, which is hot and humid. But after that, take a see-it-for-yourself approach.
You go overseas to explore different lifestyles, religions, cultures and food. Why not extend your open-mindedness to other political systems?
I’m not an apologist for China. But I don’t ignore the good side, either. When’s the last time you read a good-news story in Australia about the vast material improvements – and yes, increasing freedoms – the majority of Chinese have experienced in their lifetimes?
Is there a long way to go? Absolutely. But China is on the rise and its people believe they deserve it – and rightly so. Get over there and see what’s happening in the nation we Australians depend upon. You won’t see a more incredible place.
The Australian government’s Smart Traveller website currently advises travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling in China, including avoiding or filming any protests. See smartraveller.gov.au
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