Current China Entry policy
Jul 5, 2022, 8:01 am
#2056
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,990
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/w...pan-covid.html
Japan’s Secret to Taming the Coronavirus: Peer Pressure
The country has never mandated masks or vaccinations, but it’s evaded the worst of Covid, thanks to a fear of public shaming and the “self restraint police.”travelinmanS Since I know in person attendance is pretty important in your company, you should mentally prepare yourself for last-minute stuff like this upon your return. Whether it's you or one of your colleagues, it can honestly happen in an instant (e.g. while you are taking your morning shower).
Last edited by moondog; Jul 5, 2022 at 8:08 am
Jul 5, 2022, 8:49 am
#2057
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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There was no special visa granted to any of the foreign vvisitors.
2023 is still months away and my experience in late 2021 was during the period when Covid was largely under control in China, so it is not an apple-to-apple comparison.
It is not just focusing on the visa situation, airlines also need to provide more flight options, and other considerations such as as pre-travel requiremetns of testings and green code etc. all have to be part of the solution.
Jul 8, 2022, 10:52 am
#2058
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Titanium (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,391
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...accine-mandate
Better late than never I suppose.
Better late than never I suppose.
- City to limit entry to raft public venues based on vaccination
- Authorities want to boost vaccination rate among the elderly
Beijing residents wanting to enter a raft of public places will need to show proof of vaccination from Monday, the first time China has deployed a vaccine mandate, as the city rushes to quash a new outbreak caused by a more infectious subvariant.
The city will require live performances, entertainment venues such as movie theaters, museums and gyms, as well as training and tutoring locations, to restrict entry to people who are vaccinated, Li Ang, deputy director at the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, told reporters at a briefing Wednesday.
The requirement will also apply to medical staff, people working in community service operations, home furnishing operators, express delivery providers and conference attendees. They’ll need to have received a booster shot to continue as normal, Li said. There will be exemptions for people who don’t qualify for vaccination.
Officials have turned to a mandate, which has been deployed in countries across the world, as it rushes to stamp out virus transmission. Authorities are also keen to boost vaccination rates, especially for people aged 60 or older whose reluctance around immunization has become a key factor in keeping China stuck in its strict Covid Zero approach.
Elderly people living in care homes and anyone wanting to visit an entertainment venue were urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Care-home staff and visitors should get booster shots, as should tourists, Li said. The city’s health code -- the system that controls people’s movements -- will be updated to show vaccination status more prominently, he said.
The city will maintain a requirement for people to get tested at least every three days to enter all public venues.
Beijing’s elderly vaccination rate is above 80%, while Shanghai lags behind at 70%. Nearly 90% of the country’s total 1.4 billion population are fully vaccinated with homegrown shots.
- Authorities want to boost vaccination rate among the elderly
Beijing residents wanting to enter a raft of public places will need to show proof of vaccination from Monday, the first time China has deployed a vaccine mandate, as the city rushes to quash a new outbreak caused by a more infectious subvariant.
The city will require live performances, entertainment venues such as movie theaters, museums and gyms, as well as training and tutoring locations, to restrict entry to people who are vaccinated, Li Ang, deputy director at the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, told reporters at a briefing Wednesday.
The requirement will also apply to medical staff, people working in community service operations, home furnishing operators, express delivery providers and conference attendees. They’ll need to have received a booster shot to continue as normal, Li said. There will be exemptions for people who don’t qualify for vaccination.
Officials have turned to a mandate, which has been deployed in countries across the world, as it rushes to stamp out virus transmission. Authorities are also keen to boost vaccination rates, especially for people aged 60 or older whose reluctance around immunization has become a key factor in keeping China stuck in its strict Covid Zero approach.
Elderly people living in care homes and anyone wanting to visit an entertainment venue were urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Care-home staff and visitors should get booster shots, as should tourists, Li said. The city’s health code -- the system that controls people’s movements -- will be updated to show vaccination status more prominently, he said.
The city will maintain a requirement for people to get tested at least every three days to enter all public venues.
Beijing’s elderly vaccination rate is above 80%, while Shanghai lags behind at 70%. Nearly 90% of the country’s total 1.4 billion population are fully vaccinated with homegrown shots.
Jul 10, 2022, 11:11 pm
#2059
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,949
Jul 11, 2022, 12:29 am
#2060
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,990
The only people I know of who aren't vaxxed here are senior citizens who are STRONGLY opposed. In this society, officials are usually loath to mess with seniors (e.g. far greater transgression than clubbing pets to death).
Jul 11, 2022, 1:18 am
#2061
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,949
The problem of enforcement is that if you've been vaxxed outside Beijing, it won't show up on your Beijing Health Kit. Not to mention anyone who got vaccinated abroad (they said they would consider those valid as well) who is currently not able to get that on the Health Kit either.
Jul 11, 2022, 1:36 am
#2062
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
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The problem of enforcement is that if you've been vaxxed outside Beijing, it won't show up on your Beijing Health Kit. Not to mention anyone who got vaccinated abroad (they said they would consider those valid as well) who is currently not able to get that on the Health Kit either.
Jul 17, 2022, 6:08 pm
#2064
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,311
From today's Shanghai Covid report, we have the very first case of a traveller who legally entered HK and then flew to China.
病例1为比利时籍，在香港旅行，自香港出发，于2022年7月9日抵达上海浦东国际机场，入关后即被集中隔离观察 ，其间出现症状。综合流行病学史、临床症状、实验室检测和影像学检查结果等，诊断为确诊病例。
Case 1 is of Belgian nationality, was travelling in Hong Kong. They flew from HK, and arrived at PVG on 9/July/2022.
HK opened up to non-residents on 1 May, and it took more than two months to record the first positive case of a non-resident who made it to China.
病例1为比利时籍，在香港旅行，自香港出发，于2022年7月9日抵达上海浦东国际机场，入关后即被集中隔离观察 ，其间出现症状。综合流行病学史、临床症状、实验室检测和影像学检查结果等，诊断为确诊病例。
Case 1 is of Belgian nationality, was travelling in Hong Kong. They flew from HK, and arrived at PVG on 9/July/2022.
HK opened up to non-residents on 1 May, and it took more than two months to record the first positive case of a non-resident who made it to China.
Jul 17, 2022, 8:36 pm
#2065
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,446
I don't think "first positive case" in a good wording in such context 
Jul 28, 2022, 12:28 pm
#2066
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 180
Hope all provinces drop it down to 7 days of hotel quarantine for entering the country. Two years ago I went through 14 days of misery in what is arguably the worst hotel in Zhengzhou (because Air China cancelled the direct route to PEK and sent us to Zhengzhou instead), and I had to PAY about $500 for the privilege of staying there (couldn't pick the hotel I was sent to), and the quarantine room rate was much higher than the normal room rate I checked on trip.com. There was a roach infestation in the bathroom (other rooms reported roaches too), everything in the room was dirty (nasty carpeted floors), no amenities, AC didn't work, wifi was terrible, no "view" to speak of at all, and the air pollution was punishing (though not the fault of the hotel)... at least the 3 meals a day weren't bad. My colleagues who managed to fly directly into Beijing got put into hotel rooms that were at least clean and didn't have a pest problem. One of them even got a a nice big suite. I also saw my friend who entered Singapore and quarantined for 14 nights at the f**king Shangri La Sentosa Resort and only paid about $2000 for a nice ... room, 3 meals a day, and had a beachfront view with a balcony that she was allowed to use.I had wondered why the local government would commandeer a hotel in such poor condition for their centralized hotel quarantine program...maybe the owner had some friends in the Party, or maybe Zhengzhou just sucks.
After 14 nights being pissed off and living in less than desirable hotel conditions, I "checked out" of the hotel in the morning of my 15th day and told them the hotel is not sanitary due to the roach infestation. Actually, we were allowed to leave at midnight after the 14th night, and I saw in the quarantine group chat that some guests were leaving immediately to the JW Marriott Zhengzhou because they hated their time in quarantine so much and couldn't stand one more sleep in the hotel. Yet the JW staff gave them a hassle even though they got the quarantine completion certificates and negative PRC test. In the case for the rest of us who didn't immediately jump ship, Air China had a bus for us leaving to the Zhengzhou airport at 7 AM...where we would wait around for a 5 PM flight to Beijing... no thank you. I left for BJ via HSR in the early morning, and enjoyed an excellent and affordable business class train journey. Then I chose to spend 7 nights at the St Regis BJ for "health monitoring" (not quarantined, it was an additional requirement for me in my situ.) and to regain sanity that was stolen away from me by the 郑州大酒店 (Zhengzhou Grand Hotel). Good riddance.
After 14 nights being pissed off and living in less than desirable hotel conditions, I "checked out" of the hotel in the morning of my 15th day and told them the hotel is not sanitary due to the roach infestation. Actually, we were allowed to leave at midnight after the 14th night, and I saw in the quarantine group chat that some guests were leaving immediately to the JW Marriott Zhengzhou because they hated their time in quarantine so much and couldn't stand one more sleep in the hotel. Yet the JW staff gave them a hassle even though they got the quarantine completion certificates and negative PRC test. In the case for the rest of us who didn't immediately jump ship, Air China had a bus for us leaving to the Zhengzhou airport at 7 AM...where we would wait around for a 5 PM flight to Beijing... no thank you. I left for BJ via HSR in the early morning, and enjoyed an excellent and affordable business class train journey. Then I chose to spend 7 nights at the St Regis BJ for "health monitoring" (not quarantined, it was an additional requirement for me in my situ.) and to regain sanity that was stolen away from me by the 郑州大酒店 (Zhengzhou Grand Hotel). Good riddance.
Jul 28, 2022, 8:07 pm
#2067
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,314
Any update in terms of all the measures current impose by Chinese embassy and consultes prior taking flights to China will be relaxed soon or if it has been relaxed (or reduced)?
Jul 28, 2022, 10:54 pm
#2068
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,990
Hope all provinces drop it down to 7 days of hotel quarantine for entering the country. Two years ago I went through 14 days of misery in what is arguably the worst hotel in Zhengzhou (because Air China cancelled the direct route to PEK and sent us to Zhengzhou instead), and I had to PAY about $500 for the privilege of staying there (couldn't pick the hotel I was sent to), and the quarantine room rate was much higher than the normal room rate I checked on trip.com. There was a roach infestation in the bathroom (other rooms reported roaches too), everything in the room was dirty (nasty carpeted floors), no amenities, AC didn't work, wifi was terrible, no "view" to speak of at all, and the air pollution was punishing (though not the fault of the hotel)... at least the 3 meals a day weren't bad. My colleagues who managed to fly directly into Beijing got put into hotel rooms that were at least clean and didn't have a pest problem. One of them even got a a nice big suite. I also saw my friend who entered Singapore and quarantined for 14 nights at the f**king Shangri La Sentosa Resort and only paid about $2000 for a nice ... room, 3 meals a day, and had a beachfront view with a balcony that she was allowed to use.I had wondered why the local government would commandeer a hotel in such poor condition for their centralized hotel quarantine program...maybe the owner had some friends in the Party, or maybe Zhengzhou just sucks.
After 14 nights being pissed off and living in less than desirable hotel conditions, I "checked out" of the hotel in the morning of my 15th day and told them the hotel is not sanitary due to the roach infestation. Actually, we were allowed to leave at midnight after the 14th night, and I saw in the quarantine group chat that some guests were leaving immediately to the JW Marriott Zhengzhou because they hated their time in quarantine so much and couldn't stand one more sleep in the hotel. Yet the JW staff gave them a hassle even though they got the quarantine completion certificates and negative PRC test. In the case for the rest of us who didn't immediately jump ship, Air China had a bus for us leaving to the Zhengzhou airport at 7 AM...where we would wait around for a 5 PM flight to Beijing... no thank you. I left for BJ via HSR in the early morning, and enjoyed an excellent and affordable business class train journey. Then I chose to spend 7 nights at the St Regis BJ for "health monitoring" (not quarantined, it was an additional requirement for me in my situ.) and to regain sanity that was stolen away from me by the 郑州大酒店 (Zhengzhou Grand Hotel). Good riddance.
After 14 nights being pissed off and living in less than desirable hotel conditions, I "checked out" of the hotel in the morning of my 15th day and told them the hotel is not sanitary due to the roach infestation. Actually, we were allowed to leave at midnight after the 14th night, and I saw in the quarantine group chat that some guests were leaving immediately to the JW Marriott Zhengzhou because they hated their time in quarantine so much and couldn't stand one more sleep in the hotel. Yet the JW staff gave them a hassle even though they got the quarantine completion certificates and negative PRC test. In the case for the rest of us who didn't immediately jump ship, Air China had a bus for us leaving to the Zhengzhou airport at 7 AM...where we would wait around for a 5 PM flight to Beijing... no thank you. I left for BJ via HSR in the early morning, and enjoyed an excellent and affordable business class train journey. Then I chose to spend 7 nights at the St Regis BJ for "health monitoring" (not quarantined, it was an additional requirement for me in my situ.) and to regain sanity that was stolen away from me by the 郑州大酒店 (Zhengzhou Grand Hotel). Good riddance.
-this doesn't matter because your Beijing hotel would have been just as bad
Jul 28, 2022, 11:23 pm
#2069
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,206
The measures were relaxed a bit at the beginning of July. Just 2 PCR tests need to be taken, one 48 hours and one 24 hours before your flight. Still difficult to get visas and there is still a quarantine. It’s not worth it to go to China unless you have some real pressing need.
Jul 29, 2022, 12:54 am
#2070
Join Date: Aug 2021
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 347
It's actually possible to get a Q visa now without needing a provincial invitation letter or an exceptional circumstance. Single entry, valid ~3 months from the date of issuance. 2 PCR tests required prior to your flight. Transfers now allowed. Your actual mileage may vary.
