Sorry, I meant Coyote (across the street).

IIRC you prefer Coyote to Agave.

IIRC you prefer Coyote to Agave.

Agave has better lunch sets, but doesn't hold a candle to Coyote in the evening. Slightly off topic, I miss Thai Farmer because their shrimp sashimi was a one of a kind dish.

Agave lunch set, Thai Farmer shrimp sashimi for tea time when things back to normal. There is a very nice BBQ joint on the ground floor near the Brighton.
There will be something missing when you get back to Wanch.

These both pale in comparison to the Mexican options in Shanghai which IMHO has the best western food in Asia. Coyote always seemed super seedy at night whenever I went.

Back on the topic, I wonder if they will also start to allow more flights into China from abroad as the prices are still very high.

I doubt it. They don't want to overwhelm the quarantine system and end up like Melbourne Australia.

Can someone shed light on the exact meaning of this announcement:

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjbxw/t1817370.shtml

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People's Republic of China
National Immigration Administration
Announcement on Entry by Foreign Nationals
Holding Valid Chinese Residence Permits of Three Categories
2020/09/23(Unofficial Translation for Reference Only)

September 23, 2020

In view of the current COVID-19 situation and the need of epidemic prevention and control, adjustments are now made to the Announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration on the Temporary Suspension of Entry by Foreign Nationals Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits issued on 26 March 2020.

Effective from 0 a m., 28 September 2020, foreign nationals holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters and reunion are allowed to enter China with no need for applying for new visas. If the above three categories of residence permits held by foreign nationals expired after 0 a.m., 28 March 2020, the holders may apply for relevant visas by presenting the expired residence permits and relevant materials to the Chinese embassies or consulates on the condition that the purpose of the holders' visit to China remains unchanged. The above-mentioned personnel shall strictly abide by the Chinese regulations on epidemic prevention and control.

Other measures in the Announcement issued on March 26 will continue to be implemented. While ensuring effective epidemic control, the Chinese government will continue resuming people-to-people exchanges in a step-by-step and orderly manner.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

National Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China


So if someone's RP visa expired AFTER March 2020, this now can simply be renewed at the Chinese Embassy?

My understanding of this announcement is that it allows for people who would have, in the absence of covid-shaped disruptions to normal life, have renewed their residence permit while still in China, to get a new visa to re-enter China.

I suspect it will still be necessary to convert this again to a residence permit in the usual manner after returning to China (in which case I expect the visa will be free, with payment only required as usual for the new residence permit).

This though is just my best guess from reading the Chinese text as well as the translation. It is clear though that if you had a residence permit based on employment in China, and this employment is still ongoing, then it should be possible to get the required paperwork to return to China (whether this is a visa or a residence permit).

Thanks for that.
Just wondering now, how to go about renewing the Visa for re-entry,as mine expired.
Interestingly, my work permit also expired after I left China, but it was since renewed, only be told again that it is invalid after all (because of March 2020 announcement? not sure.). have to check on that now too....
If this really holds up, I might be back in China sooner than I thought!

For the avoidance of doubt, for immigration purposes you're talking about a Residence Permit in your passport, right? We will call this an RP and not a visa (though it looks like one in your passport). The Work Permit is a different card that's unrelated to immigration. This announcement is about RPs which, from what you say, yours has expired. The critical detail is the date of expiry. Was it before or after March 28?

I went through the previous process to return to Shenzhen from HK in August. My RP is dated until 07 March 2021 but "suspended" as they all were from March 28 for the purposes of immigration. My colleague's RP expired after March 28 which I think is your situation now, right? In both cases, we had to apply for a single-entry business M visa from our local Visa for China office (in my case, HK and in my colleague's case it was Athens) with the supporting documentation that was required at the time. We're both now back at work.

They have now announced that RPs within their validity dates are valid again for the purposes of immigration. So, foreigners with RPs that were valid on March 28 are in one of two situations: (a) your RP is still within its validity date and you can book your flight and return or (b) your RP expired during between 28 March-28 Sept but you can use its existence to apply for a new single-entry M visa from your local Visa for China office, return to China, and apply for a renewal of your RP as normal when you're back. This is what my colleague is now doing.

I'd advise you to contact your local Visa for China office (I've found them to be helpful) and confirm with them after Sept 28 what your situation is.

If your RP expired before March 28 then you're in a different scenario and - from what I can make out - you will need a new Z visa like you're starting from scratch.

In any scenario, you will still need to comply with whatever Covid-19 tests the airline requires and do two weeks quarantine when you re-enter China and the specific details of how this is done will depend on your port of entry.

Z (work) visas are increasingly rare. Sure, you can still get them at many overseas consulates, but they are no better than M or L visas when applying for WPs/RPs, which you need, if you want to work here legally. M visas were okay for working in the past.

Thanks for your good explanation!

Yes, my RP expired in May 2020, so 'b' would likely be what applies to my situation: Looks promising...

Asking for someone else: Does anyone know if one without these Chinese special visas or Chinese passports is allowed to escort someone (old folks) to China and return without exiting the custom?

I don’t think so. When arriving in china everyone needs to go threw customs. When transiting in the past to a third country it was possible to obtain a transit visa on arrival. Now all these visas are suspended. Everyone arriving in china now needs to quarantine too.