China is taking a significant step in its reopening to the world by no longer requiring incoming travelers to provide a negative COVID-19 test result. This marks the end of a three-year isolation period that began with the country closing its borders in March 2020.
The change was announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin during a briefing in Beijing on Monday.
In January, China ended quarantine requirements for its citizens traveling from abroad. Over the past few months, the country has gradually expanded the list of countries its people can travel to and increased the number of international flights.
Beijing’s strict domestic “zero COVID” policy was only lifted in December after years of draconian measures, including full-city lockdowns and lengthy quarantines for infected individuals.
These restrictions have slowed down the world’s second-largest economy, resulting in rising unemployment rates and sporadic unrest.
As part of these measures, incoming travelers were previously required to isolate for weeks in government-designated hotels.
In November, major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Nanjing, saw protests against the COVID-related restrictions. These protests were the most direct challenge to the Communist Party’s rule since the Tiananmen protests of 1989.
However, in early December, authorities abruptly lifted most COVID controls, leading to a surge in infections that overwhelmed hospitals and morgues.
A study funded by the U.S. government this month found that the sudden lifting of the “zero COVID” policy may have resulted in nearly 2 million excess deaths in the following months. This number significantly surpasses the official estimate of 60,000 deaths within a month of lifting the restrictions.
During the “zero COVID” period, local authorities occasionally implemented snap lockdowns to contain infections, leading to people being trapped in offices and apartment buildings. In some widely discussed cases on social media, authorities even sealed residents’ doors to prevent the virus from spreading.
From April to June of last year, the city of Shanghai imposed one of the world’s largest mass lockdowns, affecting its 25 million residents. Residents had to undergo frequent PCR tests and rely on government food supplies, which were often inadequate.
Throughout the pandemic, Beijing has showcased its “zero COVID” policy and the relatively low number of infections as evidence of the superiority of China’s political system compared to Western democracies.
Associated Press news assistant Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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