The Chinese mainland saw 168 million entries and exits at its border control ports in the first half of this year, up 169.6 percent year-on-year, immigration authorities said on Wednesday.

The National Immigration Administration released the figure in a statement on its website, adding that the figure still only accounted for 48.8 percent of the level in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly half of those entries and exits, or 80 million, were made by Chinese mainland residents. Some 75 million were made by Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and about 8.5 million were visits by foreigners.

Cross-border transports soared to 9.8 million, representing year-on-year growth of 119.2 percent, but still only 53.8 percent of those in 2019.

During the first six months of this year, immigration authorities issued more than 10 million ordinary passports, more than 26 times the number issued last year, but about two-thirds of the pre-pandemic level. Issuance of mainland citizens' travel documents and exit endorsements — which allow mainland residents to visit Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan — also grew by more than 15 times to 42.8 million, almost matching the pre-pandemic level.

Zhang Ning, a spokeswoman for the administration, said that since the mainland optimized its COVID policy in early January, authorities have fully resumed regular exit-and-entry services, including facilitating the issuance of travel documents for Chinese nationals, gradually opening 61 land ports for cross-border travel and resuming visa-on-arrival and visa-free transit policies for residents of some foreign countries.

The administration said that it has also found some 32,400 foreigners who illegally entered, stayed or worked on the Chinese mainland, and it has repatriated 13,600 of them. It has resolved some 16,000 criminal cases involving illegal border crossings and arrested 32,000 suspects.

Zhang said the administration will keep providing more convenience for residents and visitors, such as opening more green channels and developing online inquiry and reservation systems for more services, to guarantee communications and exchanges between China and abroad.

Yang Zekun contributed to this story.