well - as of April 29 - it's RAT only for all. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/...rs-2023-04-25/

technically airlines don’t even check this.

after 956 days, COVID is finally over in China

According to this affiliated news site, COVID results aren’t even “technically” required anymore. Finally.

Flew on Qatar to Beijing a few days ago and they would not let me board without a negative test result, even when I explained this was not required any longer. However they did not check the entry health QR code.

They also did some testing on arrival in Daxing but they seemed to only select Chinese citizens for this and they kept foreigners out of it.

So how did you board? Got an instant test at the gate?

Interesting :-)

Not sure I understand.
Why would you not need a neg. test?
It is very much still required from many countries, until the 29th.

Talk about bad timing. My mom just entered China via Hong Kong on Tuesday morning. She did a non-refundable PCR test before her flight from SFO on Saturday (site was closed Sunday), but then realized it would be over 48 hours by the time she reached the border crossing at Shenzhen. So she did another 2-hour PCR test at HKG upon just in case. Neither result were ever checked; Shenzhen border crossing is only randomly selecting people for tests 🙄

The new measures would be since Apr 29

Some news sites report that flyers still need to show a Antigen test taken 48hr before flying post 29th Apr. Can this be at private at home test that you take a photo of the result of a commercially purchased and verified test?
thanks

My understanding only:

That is what's required, yes; a RAT test that you can take yourself with photo proof; HOWEVER, it's inconceivable that any airline would be required to check this, as there's really nothing to check anymore, and the requirement has been lifted for the airlines to be made accountable should a passenger be found to have lied on their health declaration.

In summary: any RAT test is okay, airlines won't check.

The RAT test is still legally required. You have to declare the test result to be negative on the Customs declaration. Providing false information to Customs may lead to fines and/or imprisonment.
Of course the actual result will no longer be checked by the airline. So it's up to you to determine whether you are happy to wear the legal risk of not doing a test at all.

I am failing to see a legal risk. Even if you do the self-test (and test negative), there is always a good chance to catch covid while being on your way to China (or you catched it just prior to the test, so it wouldn't show yet) - how would they make a difference between "tested negative, but later been positive when arriving" and "didn't test, just declared negative and tested positive when arriving"

Basically, Covid is over, and what's currently done is "for show".

That might not be the point.
Not sure about mainland requirements, but in HK you had to self-administer a RAT and keep the picture for 90 days.
Failing to produce the picture was punishable, not catching covid on arrival.

The (admittedly small) legal risk is that if you claim you tested negative during the 48-hour lead-up to your flight but are unable to provide proof of such when asked, you will be in violation of PRC law and could face stiff penalties.

The negative test result should presumably provide you with significant legal cover if you happen to catch Covid after your test (on the way to China or later).