I'm not planning on leaving (and coming back) until May. hopefully they'll be a little more chill by then...and eliminate that hotel rule.

This really impact my plan to return home in FL/DC in the Spring.

Let's hope the tightening and restrictions will relax after CNY holidays and weather gets warmer. Also with increase vaccinations being rolled out in the US, those who got vaccinated don't need to get tests done before the flight back to China and vise versa.

My understanding is that the vaccines are pretty good at preventing the virus from development but aren't especially effective at slowing transmission. In other words after you get vaxed you can still catch the virus and pass it on to others.

I've been told that the issuance of business invitation ("PU" or whatever they're called) letters is being suspended until March
any corroboration? the chain of communication to my source is a bit too long for me to really be 100% certain of accuracy

I would venture to guess that your source simply isn't tight enough with the entry exit people to pull it off. When searching for agents don't limit yourself to Beijing and Shanghai. For example the guy who hooked me up in 2008 pre Olympics was based in Jinan but his letter got me a visa.

Anal swabbing for overseas arrivals is the latest example of tightening restrictions... I have personally given up on international travel until Q4 at the earliest. If you're already in China, think hard before leaving.

https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20210128A0FUJX00

This link is talking about locals in Beijing being swabbed anally. There is no indication that this is being applied on international travellers.

No, it's talking about overseas returnees.

"新冠肛测！回国华人称：“菊花”被捅2次，太羞耻"

"Covid anal testing! Overseas Chinese who have returned report--butthole got poked twice, too degrading"

As long as they let you poke your butthole yourself in a bathroom stall, I'm guessing the procedure is less painful than the nasal swab drill. I had to do the latter earlier this week because I had a slight (38C) fever that was sufficient to get me an orange code. It was definitely more comfortable than the one I had a year ago in Bangkok because the nurse only used a single swap/nostril, but she stuck that thing way up there! I haven't experienced a nucleic acid test yet.

That's just click-bait. Nowhere in the article does it talk about returnees getting tested anally.

You have experienced the nucleic acid test. The nasal swab is exactly that, and you're right....it's no fun at all!

I will have my new resident permit issued this week (two years) in Beijing, and now plan to return to US later this month, and return late in March.

Any recent experience on returning to China using the recently issued resident permit?

I know I have to do "double Covid-19" test within 72 hours of getting on the UA plane to get back to China (subject to clearance from Chinese embassy in the US before the flight).

China just re-banned arrivals from Canada, even for those with a valid residence permit.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN2A004H

If you leave, you have to be prepared to suddenly not be able to return to China.

I did this in December with a residence permit from the USA back to Shanghai. You need to get the double tests within 48 hours of your flight and load the information into the wechat mini program for the consulate. Test must be done at approved clinics in the city of departure which must be SF since you're taking UA. I got the test results the day after the test, so 24 hours before the flight, and I uploaded the results and other documents requested to the wechat program and received the green QR code a few hours later.

I have heard they are becoming more reluctant to issue the green QR code to people with residence permits, even with all the proper paperwork; basically blocking you from returning. So it's a risk to go back and expect to be able to get back into China smoothly now. The Canadian news in also not looking very positive for those of us with residence permits having unfettered access to return to China. In the current environment, unless it's an emergency, I'd stay in China until there is a bit more certainty about the rules.

Thanks for the information. Very useful.

This means I need to fly to SFO, get a test done and wait for result and have PRC embassy approved all within 48 hours. This definitely adds more wrinkles to the process than I expected.

Yes, the Canadian news is not looking good for the rest of us.

I understand there is domestic travel restriction to Beijing until March 15. Perhaps I should wait to take my trip back to the US after March 15 to see if any updated travel restrictions are issued.