China will remove quarantine requirements for inbound travelers from January 8, 2023.

According to the latest announcement from China’s National Health Commission, China’s Covid-19 management would be reduced from the top-level (category A) to the less strict (category B). Covid-19 is being evaluated since it is a less hazardous common respiratory illness. China has been the last country to acknowledge Covid-19 as an endemic disease.

Specifically, international travelers upon entry only need to present a negative PCR test result performed within 48 hours. Those who do not exhibit any Covid-19 symptoms while going through customs processes are not subject to any restrictions. Simultaneously, the centralized quarantine was abolished. Foreigners coming to China for work and business will also be given favorable conditions.

Since January 2020, China has classified Covid-19 as a category B infectious disease, but managed under category A methods (same as plague and cholera). The management, quarantine policy, lockdown,… are all given to the local authorities.

During the past 3 years, the application of zero-Covid policy, border closure, refusal to reissue expired passports have caused negative impacts on the Chinese economy. The growth rate of China decreased to the lowest level in nearly half a century. It disrupted global trade and supply chains, causing discontent among people in the country.