The case, in addition to a surge in Delta-driven waves of infections worldwide, prompted Hong Kong public health experts and local politicians over the weekend to call for Hong Kong to increase quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers. We have made it very clear that our focus will be opening the border with the mainland. The record breaking rains, and similar flooding incidents happening in other parts of the country, have alarmed scientists and officials raising questions as to whether China is prepared to deal with more extreme weather as the climate crisis deepens. 27/12/2022. Today (Saturday, 5 June 2021) the borders of China are fully open for 0/ 32 countries, partially open for 51/ 32 countries. Hong Kong doesnt have any real power to decide upon, he added. China closed its borders to nearly all travelers in March 2020, when the pandemic started spreading throughout Europe. Things can change fast in China. Chang Shu +Follow. Rick Bowmer/AP This story has been updated to include Hong Kongs new quarantine rules formally announced late Tuesday evening. Their concerns include rules obliging all international arrivals, including children, to quarantine in a hotel for three weeks, and to enter an isolation clinic if they test positive. But Zhong acknowledged that Chinas strict COVID rules impose a burden on the government and that the costs of maintaining the measures may eventually outweigh the health benefits. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. Vaccinated motorists line up to cross the border at the San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-US border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 7, 2021. Propaganda outlets stress that new cases involve arrivals from abroad. According to a draft policy document released by Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism on September 19, tour groups organized by travel agencies in Chinas border areas will be able to choose their port of entry and exit flexibly.. But Chinas continued reliance on COVID-zero protocols despite its high vaccination rate has raised questions about whether the measures will be a fixture of Chinese life for the long term. But few data have been released about how Chinese vaccines cope with variants, or how long they work. All of the bodies recovered were taken from the citys subway system, according to authorities. To avoid that, China should prepare for a fundamental shift away from its "zero Covid" mindset once it achieves its 80 per cent vaccination target and reaches herd immunity by the end of the year . Passengers walk through Salt Lake City International Airport, Oct. 27, 2020. Or you can also apply a new visa to China. The long closure has impacted businesses and frustrated residents. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong told CNN in September that an unprecedented number of expatriates have either left or are planning to leave. Will His AI Plans Be Any Different? See how we collect data and find out why not all countries are included in the statistics. 4:25 AM EDT, Wed September 21, 2022. The vaccination campaign initially targeted key workers and those with a high chance of being exposed to or transmitting the virus. They must apply for a visa in advance, and show their proof of vaccination on arrival, as well as the negative tests. All Rights Reserved. Many Chinese are proud rightfully of Chinas ability to swiftly tame the outbreak, despite its initial mishandling. The reasons are many. Airlines will also collect information about passengers for contact tracing efforts. On June 28, China announced that it would loosen, but not drop, its requirements for incoming travelers. The outside world stands for chaos. The plunge came after a Chinese court froze $20 million worth of bank deposits from Evergrande at the request of one of its creditors. The provisional timeline of the second half of 2022 was set during a mid-May meeting of the countrys cabinet, or State Council, attended by officials from Chinas Foreign Ministry and National Health Commission, among other government bodies, one of the people said. See how we collect data and find out why not all countries are included in the statistics. China is in the opposite camp, along with South Korea and the Philippines. Finally, though open discussion of this question is taboo, the authorities are being oddly secretive about how well Chinese-made vaccines work. These travelers are still required to take two PCR tests 24-48 hours before going to China (depending on their departure airport) and a pre-flight antigen test. Mr Xi attends overseas summits by video-link. Perhaps China wants to protect domestic drugmakers from competition, suggest foreign diplomats. Images of mask-less Westerners on crowded beaches or rampaging at anti-lockdown protests are a staple of Chinese news coverage. Hong Kong's border with mainland China. Its bad enough to have to worry youll be jailed in retaliation for whatever critical comments you made even years ago. I was vaccinated at the first opportunity, and in the last few weeks the campaign has turned up a notch. China cannot carry on like this because COVID-19 is a global disease that requires China and the rest of the world to work together and beat it, he said. Like elsewhere, the pandemic has changed China in many ways some of which might add to the concerns of foreigners who plan to visit. This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline "Turning inward", Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents, Under Xi Jinping, he has had little chance to shine, But Chinas leaders are treading carefully for now, The countrys government is organised in a way that could help, Published since September 1843 to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.. Lams comments illustrate just how closely Hong Kongs government has tied its Covid strategy with China not surprising for a Chinese territory but a further sign of Hong Kongs deteriorating reputation as an international hub. Though about 63% of the population has been fully vaccinated, many received the Chinese Sinovac vaccine, which has had its efficacy against the highly infectious Delta variant questioned. And so far, Chinese authorities have shown little urgency in reopening. China has maintained a strict zero-Covid approach, even as many other countries transition to living with the coronavirus. Your browser does not support the