Passenger planes stand on the tarmac of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on November 4, 2022, before China lifted Covid-related travel restrictions.
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BEIJING — China announced late Monday that travelers will now not need to quarantine upon arrival within the mainland from January 8.
The upcoming change follows a sudden easing of national Covid controls this month. The changes will end most of probably the most restrictive measures China has imposed for nearly three years under its zero-COVID-19 policy.
From March 2020, travelers to the mainland must self-quarantine, often at a delegated hotel and for 14 days. This isolation period then began to increase to 21 days or more for some travelers before China began reducing quarantine times this summer.
Current policy requires five days of quarantine in a centralized facility followed by three days at home.
China’s National Health Commission also said that from January 8, authorities will stop tracking close contacts of Covid patients, halt the designation of Covid risk areas, and cancel Covid measures that slowed the import of products.
The commission said travelers going to China will only need to indicate a negative test result for the virus within the last 48 hours and will now not must apply for a transparent health code. The announcement stated that passengers will still be required to wear a face mask throughout the flight.
China’s economy has slowed this yr because of strict Covid controls which have shut down Shanghai for about two months in addition to other parts of the country. Beijing suddenly lifted many restrictions earlier this month. Meanwhile, the variety of local Covid infections has increased, putting pressure on an already overburdened public health system.
More flights needed
Quarantine requirements for inbound employees and other Covid-related measures have made it difficult for foreign corporations in China to herald staff, executives and factory technicians.
“Simply because borders are open doesn’t suggest travel will rebound immediately,” Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said last week.
He noted that the number of accessible flights to and from China must increase. “I do not think US carriers or international carriers will return to normal immediately because these planes are already flying on other routes,” said Hart. “It might be different with Chinese airlines since the planes just sit on the tarmac and do nothing.”
In 2019, China reported that there have been 670 million international trips to and from the country. In response to the National Immigration Administration, in 2021 that number has fallen to 128 million.
China said on Monday it might improve visa conditions for foreign nationals entering the country to resume work, do business, study, visit relatives and other gatherings.
The flexibility of Chinese residents to travel abroad will be “restored in an orderly manner,” the announcement said in Chinese, in keeping with CNBC’s translation.
Throughout the pandemic, Beijing prevented Chinese residents from obtaining passports or leaving the country unless they’d a transparent business purpose.
Previously, Chinese tourists and their spending abroad—especially on luxury goods—had been a major source of income for businesses in lots of international tourist destinations.