Date – 10 February

The Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival is one of the most celebrated occasions in Chinese culture. The date of Lunar New Year varies each year, typically falling in January or February. In 2024, it falls on 10 February. The event marks the ushering of the new and good and removing the old and evil. It also celebrates the end of Winter and welcomes the advent of Spring. In China, the Lunar New Year celebrations is a month long affair and public holiday has been announced from 10-17 February. Now, communities outside China, especially in APAC, Europe and Americas too celebrate the event. Notably, the United Nations on 22 December 2023, adopted the Spring Festival as an official holiday.

Traditional rituals of worship, family gatherings and outings form significant part of the celebrations. However, notable increase in people movement and transportation activities, and large-scale public events during this time present potential disruptions such as over-crowding, congestion, surcharge rates for flights and hotels, the risk of civil unrest, and an elevated susceptibility
to cyber threats exploiting the festive season. Given these considerations, it is crucial for businesses operating in the APAC region to remain vigilant and have suitable mitigation measures in place.

Timeline of the Celebration

Locations Of Major Events and Celebrations:

Global

Potential Points of Traffic Congestion

The Lunar New Year holiday period is known for increased travel across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, leading to congestion at various chokepoints. Here are some key choke points that typically witness high traffic during this period:

Airports:

• Beijing Capital International Airport (China)
• Taoyuan Airport (Taiwan)
• Hong Kong International Airport (Hong Kong)
• Incheon International Airport (South Korea)
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Malaysia)
• Changi Airport (Singapore)
• Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Vietnam)

Land Border Crossings:

• Lo Wu Control Point (between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China)
• Johor-Singapore Causeway (between Malaysia and Singapore)- Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints
• Friendship Pass (between China and Vietnam)

Railway Stations:

• Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (China)
• Seoul Station (South Korea)
• Tokyo Station (Japan)

Traffic Arrangements

• The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore predicts very heavy traffic at both Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints in the lead-up to and during the period from 08-13 February. Therefore, additional travel time is anticipated and those who are clearing immigration by car may have to wait up to three hours.
• Check traffic conditions using Land Transport Authority’s (LTA), One Motoring website or Expressway Monitoring.
• Ensure the validity of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP); checkpoint applications are no longer accepted. Foreign drivers lacking valid Autopass cards, LTA’s Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) approval email, and insurance will be denied entry.
• Confirm passport validity of at least six months. Singapore Permanent Residents with renewed passports must transfer their Re-Entry Permit. Long-Term Pass holders must notify ICA or the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of any passport changes before entry.
• Prohibited items for travellers include firecrackers, weapons, electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, bakkwa (dried meat product), and potted plants. Further details on prohibited items can be availed from https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore/what-you-can-bring/prohibited-controlled-dutiable-goods
• Declare dutiable or controlled items to officers.
• Departing travellers driving Singapore-registered cars must observe the “three-quarter tank” rule. Offenders may have to pay a violation fee of upto $500 or be prosecuted in court. They will be turned back at the checkpoints, and not allowed to proceed with their journey into Malaysia.

Recommendations

For Organisations

• Given that public holiday will be observed in China for an extended period and probably as an optional holiday in other countries, it is advised to complete all important documentation or transactional work that would require the involvement of any government office like banks, etc.
• As street celebrations are quite common, advised to offer transportation facilities to employees to minimise the impact of traffic disruptions.
• Fireworks and lanterns form a significant part of the celebrations. Advised to conduct comprehensive audits of physical establishments and electrical appliances to reduce the risk of any fire outbreak.
• Arrange for adequate power backups.
• Advised to update all the software in use and upgrade cyber security policies, if required.
• It is also advised to train employees to authenticate information before acting on it.

Important Contacts and Source Links

• Regular ICA update can be availed from – Facebook Page, @ICA_singapore
• Singapore’s local radio broadcasts – One 91.3, Kiss92, Hao 96.3, UFM 100.3
• The State Council, People’s Republic of China (for local information) – https://english.www.gov.cn/
• MitKat’s Special Advisory on ATM Scams – Types, Threats, and Prevention
• Special Advisory on WhatsApp Scams and Safety Measures