China will no longer require a negative COVID-19 test from travelers arriving from abroad starting from August 30th, the Chinese government announced on Monday, removing one of the last remnants of its zero-COVID policy.
The measure applies to both antigen and PCR tests, according to Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shortly after the announcement, Macau SAR authorities indicated that starting from midnight on August 30th, individuals with a history of travel to Taiwan or foreign countries, when traveling from Macau to mainland China, will no longer be required to present proof of COVID-19 testing nor will they need to take designated routes to mainland China.
With this announcement, one of the last remnants of the zero-COVID policy is being dismantled. In recent months, customs authorities had already stopped verifying test results for those entering the country, with airlines also ceasing to require tests for boarding.
China abolished the zero-COVID policy in December, which involved locking down cities for consecutive weeks or months whenever an outbreak was detected, and imposing a quarantine period of up to 21 days for those arriving from abroad in government-designated hotels.
These restrictions led to a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy and were eventually dismantled after rare protests occurred in various cities across the country.
In January, the country removed quarantine requirements for incoming travelers from abroad and, in recent months, gradually expanded the list of countries for which Chinese travel agencies can organize group visits, along with increasing the number of international flights.
