China Customs will start using a new declaration form for international arrivals on August 31, no longer requiring proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test prior to departure, eventual previous infections or vaccination dates. But at the same time Chinese authorities emphasized once again that the change does not mean the relaxation of virus control requirements, as China is still adhering to its dynamic zero-Covid strategy that emphasizes the rapid control of new domestic infection clusters. The new declaration form will be available on paper and in mobile phone applications. Arriving passengers will need to take PCR tests at the airport upon arrival in China and during their quarantine, which will be seven days in a quarantine hotel and three days of home health monitoring if the required conditions are met. While submitting proof of a negative PCR test prior to departure is no longer required on the health declaration form upon arrival, it might still be required for boarding the aircraft, so travelers should contact their airline.
Foreign students are now gradually allowed to return to their Chinese campuses after a two-and-a-half year hiatus of studying online. As of August 24, students with existing visas and residence permits will no longer need to apply for a new visa to enter China. Holders of valid APEC Business Travel Cards will also be allowed to enter China without applying for new visas.
Hong Kong is expected to record more than 10,000 new infections per day in the coming days. On August 28, the city reported 9,708 new infections, and 10 deaths. Government advisers said the latest developments were “expected” and dismissed the need for further tightening of social distancing rules. “Tightening social distancing will further postpone the inevitable, delay the economic recovery and might even worsen the winter Covid-19 and influenza surge,” Professor Ivan Hung, Chief of the University of Hong Kong’s Infectious Diseases Division said. He urged the government to focus on boosting vaccination among the elderly and children. Restaurants said they expected losses as banquet guests or groups of more than eight diners were required to present a photo of a negative RAT result obtained 24 hours before entry in a measure that came into force on August 28. Instead of taking RAT tests, patrons can also present a text message of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test issued within 48 hours prior to entry. In total there have been 1,513,972 Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong and 9,664 deaths.
The U.S. government is suspending 26 flights to China by four Chinese airlines from September 5 to 28 in a dispute over antivirus controls after Beijing suspended flights by American carriers. The U.S. Department of Transportation said Beijing violated an air travel agreement and treated airlines unfairly under a system that requires them to suspend flights if a number of passengers test positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in China. U.S. regulators suspended seven flights by Air China from New York and a total of 19 flights from Los Angeles by Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines. The Transportation Department said that was equal to the number of flights United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air were required to cancel under Beijing’s “circuit-breaker” system.
Chinese officials called the measure extremely irresponsible and a political manipulation of normal business exchanges, harming normal flight operations between the two countries. The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. said that China's Covid-19 “circuit-breaker” measures were fair and transparent, applied both to Chinese and foreign airlines, and were consistent with bilateral air transportation agreements. Until August 7, if up to nine passengers on a flight tested positive, a carrier could either suspend a flight for two weeks or reduce the passengers it carried to 40% of capacity, But since August 7, airlines have been required to suspend a flight if the number of positive tests reached 4% of the number of passengers on one flight.
This overview is based on reports by the China Daily, Shanghai Daily, Global Times and South China Morning Post.
