In a final shift in policy, China has announced that it will no longer mandate incoming travelers to submit a negative COVID-19 test result starting Wednesday.
This decision, announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, is seen as a critical step towards easing the virus restrictions that have been in place since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020.
The daily Global Times reported the change, underscoring its importance in China’s evolving strategy in combating the pandemic. This update comes just months after China phased out its “zero-COVID” approach in December. This stringent policy previously included extreme measures like entire city lockdowns and extensive quarantine protocols for infected individuals.
For a considerable period, travelers entering China were obligated to undergo multi-week quarantines at government-appointed hotels. While these measures proved effective in controlling the spread of the virus to some extent, they also came with significant economic ramifications. The repercussions of such curbs were evident in the slowing of the world’s second-largest economy, marked by an uptick in unemployment and sporadic instances of public unrest.
This new easing of testing requirements signifies China’s confidence in navigating the pandemic and perhaps an acknowledgment of the need to stimulate economic activities and ease international travel restrictions.
