Believe it or not, I'd take it up the rear than the nose, having heard that the nose test by Chinese officials are downright brutal and painful.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...16de52b8c8.gif

I have it on good source this is the size of the swab being used:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a9cc5afc1.jpeg

I had a nasal swab a few weeks ago, and either I've simply gotten used to them, or the current version is a LOT less painful than the my first one was (in Thailand) last year.

Having recently experienced the nasal swab in Australia followed by another one at PVG I can say that it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. The main difference is that at PVG they leave the stick up your nose for five seconds rather than pulling it out straight away.

The PVG up the nose is really up the brain, maybe one can get used to it, but for first time travelers, it's a very painful experience. And yes, they leave it there for 5 seconds or more, and it's up both nasals.

As for up the rear, are there any scientific studies that concludes COVID virus is most populated there?

The tests at PVG seem designed to punish you for coming back to China during the pandemic. Shoving it far up the nose into the back of your head, leaving it there for and eternity and then twisting it before pulling the swab stick out, only to do it all again on the other nostril.

None of the other Covid tests I’ve had performed on me in China have been anywhere near as painful or invasive which is why I think it is intentional.

Well it was my first time, or second rather with the first being the one in Sydney 2 days prior to departure. Perhaps the tests in other places simply aren't of the same rigour?

Well, the "rigour' isn't share anywhere else in China. When we were quarantine and tested by local nurses, it's only half-way in the nasals. When I had to do more testing for my work travels to Beijing at a few different testing sites in Shanghai, it was barely up the nasals. I am beginning to share the sentiment of the previous poster that said it was a punishment for people coming into China. If it is such a "rigour" practice, it certainly isn't share anywhere else in China.

Having spoken to a friend who does COVID testing on international arrivals in a 2nd tier city, they were under instructions to make the first swab test to be painful to ensure more arrivals were discouraged.
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I don't believe it but it sounded believeable, having read the anal probe news.

As odious as it is, I believe in reciprocity, and given how the US is still banning travelers from China, I accept whatever policy has in place against foreign (or US) travelers. When the US entry ban is removed then the US government can protest to China on behalf of its citizens.

I believe the US bans (at least most of them) are long past their expiration dates.

The US is not separating families.

Anyone from China with a valid visa can enter U.S. as long as it is not directly from China (or UK etc some specific countries), I know people from China went to a third country for 14 days then enters U.S. you can not do the same from U.S. to China.

Both fair and valid points.

Reciprocity is a good example in the EU here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-...us-pandemic_en

Basically, if China lets EU citizens in, then the EU will let Chinese citizens in. This policy has been in place since 30 June 2020.
In the America case, even if they lifted the "ban" tomorrow, China wouldn't let US citizens in. China is also not letting EU citizens in, for that matter...