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Posted: 09/20/2021 / 03:04 AM CDT
Updated: 09/20/2021 / 03:04 AM CDT
A family wearing raincoats and face masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus poses for a selfie with an icon near the entrance to Universal Studios Beijing in Beijing, Monday, September 20, 2021. Thousands of people braved the rainy visit in the newest location of the global theme park brand, which will officially open on Monday. (AP Photo / Andy Wong)
BEIJING (AP) – Harry Potter fans came dressed as wizards when Universal Studios opened its first antivirus-controlled theme park in China on Monday.
The film series “Jurassic Park”, “Kung Fu Panda” and “Harry Potter” from Hollywood Studios as well as Minions from “Despicable Me” play an important role in Universal Studios Beijing on the eastern outskirts of the Chinese capital.
The opening came despite coronavirus outbreaks in southeast China that prompted the government to tighten travel controls in some areas.
“We have longed for the opening,” said one visitor, Niu Haoxuan.
Visitors had to wear masks and display a smartphone-based health code that shows whether they have been in regions with a high risk of infection.
Following a report of a possible case in Beijing last week, “we were very concerned,” said Zoe Shi. “We thought about whether we should still go. It turned out to be untrue in the end. We feel happy. “
Universal Studios Beijing is the first foreign-branded amusement park in the Chinese capital. It is the fifth in the world for Universal Studios and the third in Asia after Japan and Singapore. Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal, a unit of Comcast Corp.
The park received high-profile support from the Beijing city government despite tensions between the ruling Communist Party and Washington. The city expanded a subway line and added a station named after the park.
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