Eight more cities were allowed to issue individual travel endorsements for trips to Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions from May 27, according to a recent release by the National Immigration Administration on Saturday.

The adding of these eight cities was approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet. The eight cities include Taiyuan, Shanxi province; Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region; Harbin, Heilongjiang province; Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region; Lanzhou, Gansu province; Xining, Qinghai province; Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region; and Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Under the policy, residents of these new eight cities holding individual travel endorsements are allowed to stay in Hong Kong or Macao special administrative regions for up to seven days.

With the adding of the eight cities, the Chinese mainland so far has nearly 60 cities issuing individual travel endorsements for trips to Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

Early in February, the administration allowed Xi'an in Shaanxi province and Qingdao in Shandong to issue individual travel endorsements for trips to these two special administrative regions from March 6.