On January 8, travelers from outside of Chinese mainland started flocking across the borders. This excitement came as China decided to lower its COVID management level from the highest A to a lower B level. This means COVID-related travel restrictions have mostly been scrapped. Why did China decide to lower COVID controls at this time? What are travelers saying about their trips back to the country? How will 2023 pan out for China with its new approach to COVID-19? We spoke with CGTN reporter Dai Kaiyi.