Catalyzed by China's visa-free policies, the airport serving Shenzhen City, a tech hub in south China's Guangdong Province, handled a staggering 5.5 million entry-exit trips in 2024, a record high in nearly five years, official data showed Monday.
The number of international travelers entering and exiting China through the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport surged 100.3 percent year on year in 2024, said the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.
In the year, 556,000 inbound trips were made by foreigners, up 114.8 percent year on year, with 225,000 visa-free entries, which soared 538.4 percent.
The airport's passenger throughput reached 20,400 people on Dec. 22, setting a new single-day record high since the full resumption of border crossings in early 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic. On that day, the airport registered a historic single-day record with 200 inbound and outbound flights.
"There are more international flights departing from Shenzhen than before. At the Shenzhen airport, self-service immigration procedures are now very convenient," said a Chinese traveler.
China has expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to 38 countries after the addition of nine more countries, namely Japan and eight European countries, starting from Nov 30 as it seeks to boost tourism and business travel.
On Dec 17, the National Immigration Administration announced the extension of permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.
Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Britain, the United States and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region.
"It's super easy to come to China with the visa free," said an international traveler.
The Bao'an airport commenced operations in 1991 and ranks among China's four largest and busiest airports.
Last year, the airport checkpoint helped expand 37 international passenger and cargo routes, and inspected a total of 54,000 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 60.5 percent.
Shenzhen airport handles 5.5 million entry-exit trips in 2024
Iran has surprised its foes with the extent of its military power and resilience in the conflict with Israel and the U.S., Egyptian analysts in Cairo said.
With the conflict in its fourth week, Iran has shown that while it may lack the strong military muscle of the U.S. and Israel, it can strike effectively at Israeli cities and U.S. Gulf allies.
Iran's military capabilities are perhaps proving stronger than previously anticipated.
As soon as Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran on February 28, Tehran responded with barrages of missiles targeting Israel as well as U.S. military facilities in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan.
As the war began to stretch, Iran has expanded the list of its targets to include a total of 10 countries, and among them is a British base in Cyprus used by the United States.
Last week, a reported Iranian attack on another British military base on Diego Garcia Island in Mauritius signaled Tehran's possible capability to strike targets up to 4,000 kilometers away from its shores, bringing most of Europe within its radius of reach.
Walid Atlam, a researcher at the National Center for Studies, said Iran managed to use its military power to seize the global economic artery, the Strait of Hormuz, to exert pressure on the U.S. and Israel.
"The Iranian tactical strike on southern Israel, including the one near the Dimona nuclear facility or on Arad is the most effective qualitative attack during this war. It is also the deepest hit yet inside Israel. Another success for Iran is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz -- though only a partial one. In doing so, Iran managed to pressure a pillar of the global economy by disrupting energy markets and global supply chains. These effects will be felt even after a ceasefire," he said.
Iran does not match the U.S. and Israel in military might. For Tehran, surviving the war is the ultimate goal. Until then, it aims to inflict maximum damage -- not only militarily but also politically.
Mohamed al Shahawy, former chief of staff of military chemical warfare of the Egyptian Armed Forces, said Iran has surprised its foes with its military capabilities.
"Iran's resilience in fighting into the fourth week is the biggest surprise, so is its ability to target U.S. military bases with new generations of missiles. The U.S.-Israeli objective in this war, including overthrowing the regime in Iran, destroying Iran's ballistic missiles program and its nuclear facilities, and seizing Iran's enriched uranium, has failed," he said.
Atlam said the ongoing conflict seems to be undermining U.S. dominance and straining the close relations with its European allies.
"I think this war has created a kind of doubt about the United States and its foreign policy. The most significant sign is perhaps a clear European desire to reduce its dependence on the U.S., both militarily and economically. This was evident when many European countries refused to get directly involved in this war or join a coalition to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
Iran's strike reveals military power, resilience against US: experts
