China stops requiring covid tests for travellers prior to arrival in the country

31-08-23

• One of the last anti-pandemic policies imposed by Beijing to tackle covid is removed

• The Asian giant already eliminated last April the PCR requirement it still maintained for travellers from some countries

China has announced that, as of 30 August, travellers coming to the country will no longer be required to submit covid-19 nucleic acid or antigen tests. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press conference.

"From 30 August 2023, people coming to China will no longer have to take pre-entry covid-19 nucleic acid or antigen tests," Wang said.

This move removes one of the last anti-pandemic policies Beijing imposed to tackle covid. On 29 April, the Asian giant eliminated its remaining PCR requirement for travellers from some countries. Most of them had already been exempted from this measure in March, reports EFE..,

China imposed a strict "zero covid" policy for almost three years. This involved an almost total closure of borders. Several types of visas were no longer issued and only Chinese citizens and a small number of foreigners were allowed to enter the country, after which they had to spend 14 days in quarantine in a hotel assigned by the authorities.

At the end of 2022, China began to ease its tough restrictions. On 8 January, it downgraded its management of the virus from category A, the highest risk level, to B.