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Explainer | Coronavirus: China has new entry rules, but are they making travel easier?
- The customs service says it has streamlined the health declaration process for those entering and leaving the country, but stressed it had not eased controls
- There have been some moves to help students and others return to China but the country is still sticking to its zero-Covid policies
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China has introduced a new health declaration form for those entering or leaving the country, but the authorities have stressed that the country’s strict border controls will remain in place.
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The country also remains committed to its zero-Covid policy even as the rest of the world finds ways to live with the virus, but has signalled it wants to make travel easier for some groups.
Here is how things stand at present.
Is it easier to enter China than before?
The customs administration said the new rules were designed to make the process more efficient but do not signal any relaxation in the country’s prevention and control requirements.
However, there has been an easing of restrictions on overseas students. Those holding valid residence permits have been allowed to return to the country starting from Wednesday and embassies have started processing applications for student visas again.
Two months ago, China also started allowing foreign nationals with permanent residence or who are visiting immediate family to make short visits.
The process of applying for work visas has also been made easier by scrapping a requirement to obtain a hard-to-obtain letter of invitation.
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