Visitors to China from August 1 only need to show COVID-19 negative certificates

Table of contentHide All

The Chinese government removed the quarantine measures, and the medical procedure for travelers entering the country is only a negative test.

From January 8, 2023, China will reopen its borders, SCMP newspaper reported on December 26, and this move is the government's final step in removing the "Zero Covid" policy, moving to the next phase "living with the virus".

In addition to the requirements of normal visa procedures, people only need to present a negative test result (not sure whether rapid test or PCR), done within 48 hours before entry. Persons who do not show signs of Covid-19 when doing customs procedures are not subject to any restrictions. Centralized quarantine has also been removed but the wearing of masks is mandatory.

According to the National Health Commission (NHC), restrictions on letting Chinese people go abroad have also been eased. However, citizens who want to travel internationally in the future still need to "travel in an orderly manner".

Previously, three health officials from Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangsu provinces told SCMP that they had received a notice from the NHC on December 25. They were asked to "prepare to downgrade the Covid-19 epidemic from A to B from January 8, 2023". That means health authorities only need to take "necessary curative and preventive measures". Mandatory quarantine for foreign visitors is also removed as it is not a requirement for class B diseases.

China has also stopped requiring people to perform PCR tests. Deputy Prime Minister Ton Xuan Lan, who is in charge of the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic, recently asked local authorities to focus on treating the disease, rather than counting the number of infections. These two moves are also said to be new steps in gradually easing the existing quarantine measures.

For the past three years, China has adopted a strict "Zero Covid" policy, refusing to re-issue expired passports.

Therefore, the latest change in this policy is assessed as "having a tremendous impact on the international tourism market".

Source: vnexpress.net