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In late December China announced that their 3-year closed border policy would end, and negative COVID tests and mandatory 10-day quarantines for arrivals to China would end on January 8th (see China Reopens Borders As Lunar New Year Approaches.
At the same time, in response to China's growing COVID crisis, and their refusal to provide details and sequences to the WHO, CDC, and other international bodies, a number of countries (including the U.S.) reinstated the requirement for a negative COVID test for arrivals from China.
Today, Chinese embassies in a number of countries (including the U.S., South Korea & Japan) posted notices stating that starting on January 17, travelers from those countries would require a negative COVID test prior with 48 hours of entering China.
According to a report in the Global Times (see Chinese embassies require travelers entering China to provide negative 48-hour nucleic acid results), this is a diplomatic response to what they view as `discriminatory' policies.
Whether or not this is solely - as portrayed by China - a diplomatic retaliation is hard to know.
The Chinese, who are reportedly being battered primarily by BA.5.2 (34%), BF.7 (33%), BQ.1 (14%), BA.2.75 (5%), are no doubt aware of the reputed immune escape abilities of XBB.1.5, and may be using this diplomatic row as cover for slowing its entry into the Mainland.
Meanwhile China continues to release very little information on their COVID crisis, with the exception of a recent admission of 60,000 deaths (up from just over 5,000 a month ago), which - based on other unofficial reporting - is likely still a huge undercount.
The (translated) statement from the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. follows:
Notice on Requirements for Epidemic Prevention and Control of Passengers Traveling to China
2023/01/15 11:00
According to the requirements of the Chinese government on December 27 , 2022 , the Interim Measures for the Exchange of Chinese and Foreign Personnel after the Novel Coronavirus Infection is Class B and B, passengers traveling to China must undergo a nucleic acid test 48 hours before departure, and those with a negative result can come to China .
In order to ensure the health and safety of international travel, starting from January 17 , 2023 ( local time ) , airlines operating flights to China will be responsible for checking the negative nucleic acid test certificates of passengers within 48 hours before boarding, please cooperate. China Customs will conduct spot checks on the certificates when passengers enter the country.
In order to facilitate the preparations for passengers going to China, the embassy in the United States has compiled the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Epidemics for Travelers to China" and the requirements for nucleic acid test certificates (attached). Please read carefully and follow them to avoid affecting the itinerary.
Epidemic Prevention and Control Guidelines for Travelers to China
1. Remote testing: Nucleic acid testing should be carried out within 48 hours before boarding the plane . Only those with negative results can come to China. Please keep the negative test certificate in a safe place and carry it with you for inspection.
2. Customs declaration: After obtaining a negative nucleic acid test result, fill in the "People's Republic of China Export / Entry Health Declaration Card" to declare.
3. Boarding inspection: The airline will check the negative nucleic acid test certificate within 48 hours when passengers board the plane. If they cannot present it, they will not be allowed to board the plane.
4. In-flight epidemic prevention: Please insist on wearing a mask during the flight, take good personal protection, and reduce the risk of infection.
5. Entry quarantine: After arriving at the port, complete the necessary customs clearance procedures with the customs health declaration code. The customs will randomly check the negative nucleic acid test certificate 48 hours before boarding the plane. Those who have a normal health declaration and no abnormality in the routine quarantine at the port can enter the social area. Those with abnormal health declarations or symptoms such as fever will be tested by the customs. Those who test positive will be quarantined at home or in residence or seek medical treatment in accordance with the requirements of the notice. If the result is negative, the customs will implement routine quarantine in accordance with the "Frontier Health and Quarantine Law" and other laws and regulations.
6. Local epidemic prevention: After entering the country, passengers should strictly abide by the local epidemic prevention and control requirements.
Nucleic acid test certification requirements
1. It contains the name of the examinee (should be consistent with the name of the travel document used for the flight to China), and it is best to indicate the date of birth and the number of the travel document.
2. Contains the following test information: test time or report issuance time (at least one time is within 48 hours before boarding), test method (should be nucleic acid test, antigen test is not accepted), test result (should be negative, not "Uncertain" "Grey Zone" results are accepted), the name and contact information of the testing agency.
3. Use the official language or English of the place where the flight to China takes off, and be checked by the airline company of the flight to China.
4. It is a paper report. If the testing agency issues an electronic report, please print it out and bring it with you.
