The Chinese special administrative region of Hong Kong is to scrap the requirement for international arrivals to do a mandatory PCR COVID-19 test, the city's leader, John Lee, announced on Wednesday.

The move, due to go into force December 29, comes after mainland China this month began to wind down its strict regime of COVID preventive measures in an abrupt change of policy following widespread protests.

Both Hong Kong and mainland China have maintained restrictions introduced in early 2020 to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus long after the rest of the world loosened them.

What COVID rules have been scrapped in Hong Kong?

Lee said that a vaccine pass that has been required to enter most venues in the city would also be scrapped.

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 will also not be required to quarantine, he said.

All social distancing rules were also to be dropped, he said, though face masks will still be obligatory in public spaces except when exercising.

On Saturday, Lee had already announced that Hong Kong would reopen its borders with the mainland by mid-January.

Restrictions on travel between Hong Kong and the mainland were imposed in early 2020 and moves to scrap them have been delayed a number of times owing to outbreaks on both sides.

Beijing announced on Monday that it was ending quarantine measures for overseas arrivals from January 8 and dropped mandatory testing and lockdowns earlier this month.

China's loosening of restrictions has brought with it a massive upsurge in COVID cases largely owing to deficiencies in the country's vaccination program.

 tj/rt (Reuters, AFP)