Chinese buying agents abroad who accept orders for foreign products from customers at home face a heavy threat to their business from fears that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 could be transmitted via the products or the packaging. Many customers in China have already canceled orders for foreign products after authorities warned recipients to only open packages outside after wearing gloves and a face mask. Authorities also advised customers to buy less products from abroad. Some customers fear that the delivery of a parcel from overseas would cause their health code to turn from green to yellow. People in China need a green health code to enter grocery stores, restaurants and other venues.
China has been tightening its international parcel policies after recent cases of the Omicron variant were linked to deliveries from overseas. A Beijing resident and a person from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, who were infected with the Omicron variant this month were both found to have come into contact with parcels from overseas. The Beijing municipal government has asked recipients of international parcels who have had symptoms such as a fever or cough in the past 14 days to go to hospitals and report their health status. They are also required to undergo nucleic acid tests.
Guangdong’s provincial government told the industry regulator to monitor the entire process of disinfection of international packages and put stickers on disinfected parcels. Some places in Guangdong, such as Shenzhen, also require the recipients of international parcels to complete a nucleic acid test within three days, otherwise their health code will turn yellow. Post bureaus in many provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Shandong, Guangdong and Jiangxi, have strengthened the inspection of international parcels, including requiring companies to carry out more disinfections and encouraging the vaccination of staff members. Parcel delivery companies have adopted strict disinfection rules for international parcels. China has also ramped up control measures over imported cold-chain food and farm produce to prevent the spread of Covid-19 through entry points. Ni Yuefeng, Director of the General Administration of Customs, said imported cold-chain food, agricultural products and high-risk non-cold-chain container goods will be strictly monitored and tested. Companies involved in transporting cargo that tests positive could have their import licenses suspended, the China Daily reports.
