Hong Kong (CNN) – Increasing the number of cases of Covid in China. Countries that impose travel restrictions on Chinese immigrants, beware of imported virus. Scientists warned against fear and xenophobia.
But this is not the beginning of 2020. The normal view is now unfolding as China struggles with its biggest epidemic, after abandoning its strict no-Covid policy and reopening its borders to three years in the disease.
The country announced this week that it will drop quarantine requirements for international travelers and resume foreign travel for Chinese citizens, which was previously banned. It led to an increase in travelers eager to buy flights from the country, hungry for a trip after years of isolation – but it also sparked concern among some foreign countries due to the high level of cases. of China’s Covid.
Almost half of the 212 passengers who arrived in Italy at Milan airport from China on Monday tested positive for Covid, the health authority said on Wednesday.
While countries including the US and Japan are moving towards restrictions, others such as France and Great Britain have made it clear that they are ready to welcome migrants from China – who, before the outbreak, was a major driver of international tourism.
China responded by saying its Covid situation was “under control,” and accused Western media of “misrepresenting” its new policy changes.
“The real aim is to undermine China’s three-year Covid-19 efforts and attack the country’s system,” the state-run Global Times tabloid said in an article Thursday, and leading experts to call the restrictions “unfounded” and “discriminatory.”
Which countries have mandatory testing requirements?
Which countries are imposing testing requirements?
Japan announced on Tuesday that all travelers who have traveled to mainland China or have traveled there within seven days will be tested on arrival starting Friday. To see also : Avery Dennison’s new site launches a new high-tech, production system. and the government will limit the number of trips to and from China.
The country’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, announced the lack of official records of the Chinese government. “Although there are reports that the disease is spreading rapidly in mainland China, there is growing concern in Japan because it is difficult to understand the detailed situation,” he said.
The Indian authorities implemented similar guidelines to travelers not only from China, but also from many nearby places including Japan, South Korea and Thailand. The guidelines are intended to ensure that Covid does not spread as quickly as it has in China, authorities said on Tuesday.
Taiwan also announced mandatory tests on arrival for travelers from mainland China on Wednesday. The self-governing island has banned tourists from China since the outbreak, and only Chinese nationals are allowed to visit for business or family.
In all three places, those who are found positive upon arrival will need to be detained for several days.
Meanwhile, the United States announced that it will require a negative screening before departure for travelers from China, including Hong Kong and Macao – as well as popular third-party routes such as Seoul, Toronto and Vancouver.
People walk with luggage through the reception of Beijing airport on December 27.
The measures are particularly interesting because many of these places – especially in the West – have already reopened their borders and abandoned the requirements of tests as part of the transition to living with Covid.
In Europe, Italy – the first country on the continent to be affected by a widespread epidemic in 2020 – announced that Covid tests are required for all travelers coming from China, and the minister of health said that it is important not to declare “any difference. . . in order to protect the Italian population.”
On Thursday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that the increase in Chinese cases was not expected to affect the Covid situation in the European Union, citing restrictions on immigrants from China “it’s not fair.”
So are variants a risk?
Yanzhong Huang, senior global health expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the risk of a new mutation arising from “people who have not been vaccinated. This may interest you : The Solomon Islands refuse to choose sides between the United States and China.”
“Although (in China) it is recognized that 90% of the population has been given two doses of the vaccine that is not used, there is still a large percentage of adults who have not done it … and that most of the people who did it did it. more than six months ago, now their antibody levels are very low,” he said. “So we cannot rule out the possibility that new mutations may emerge in China and spread to other parts of the world.”
One US health official pointed to the speed of the disease in China, saying: “With so many people in China infected in such a short time, there is an opportunity and opportunity for a new revolution to emerge.”
U.S. officials have also expressed concern about China’s lack of transparency about the recent rise in cases, particularly the lack of genome sequencing data that could help diagnose new cases of the virus. coronavirus.
However, GISEAD, a global database of viruses, said that the Chinese authorities released more genomic information from recent samples – and that it seems to match the changes reported in the whole world.
Karen Grepin, an associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong, said the country’s best defense against diversity is to focus on domestic policy. to protect its own population – such as increasing vaccinations, maintaining social distance and others. public health policy.
“In many parts of the world, the disease seems to be over… but at the end of the day, (these measures) are the last thing to stop the spread of the virus,” he said. said.
“If countries are in a position where they think that those things are no longer important, because for example they have developed a lot of human protection, then why worry about a few new issues that come up from China?”
Are the measures effective?
Despite the risk, many health professionals have widely criticized the new testing requirements as ineffective at best and intimidating at worst. Read also : Europe Travel Restrictions, Covid-19 Testing Requirements, by Country, for July.
“I don’t see any concrete reason to justify this action,” said Huang, from the Foreign Affairs Council. “So far we have no evidence to confirm whether such changes are indeed emerging in mainland China.”
“I can understand the concerns because of the lack of clarity, because of the lack of sharing of genomic sequencing,” he added. “But even if it is banned, we cannot stop the spread of the virus. And if there are really new changes emerging in mainland China, just to delay the spread, we will not stop the virus from spreading to other parts of the country. the world.”
Grepin reiterated this point, saying: “In fact, we have no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of these measures in practice.”
If an infection emerges, it may enter the United States through other countries, he said, noting that restrictions “were a little less” when Omicron emerged last fall.
Pre-departure tests – which the US requires – are quite effective, since many new mutations have a short incubation period, which means “there are still cases” it’s possible,” he added.
Political favoritism and xenophobia
Political pressure and xenophobia
There are several reasons why countries may enforce these restrictions despite their ineffective use, Grepin said – one of them is the fear that Chinese Covid patients may flee elsewhere to seek treatment and hospital at home is very overwhelmed.
But, he added, it is quite impossible. The number of travelers from China is still very low, due to the limited number of flights. And at the rate of the spread of Covid, it will be a special challenge for patients to quickly obtain visas and book flights abroad.
Instead, many of the recent restrictions seem to reflect “the political power (in the authorities) that they seem to be doing something,” he said. “Let’s see that one country is doing it, then other countries will follow.”
Medical workers treat patients at a hospital in Jiangsu, China, on December 28.
CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images
Experts also warn that naming China may increase the risk of more discrimination against China, as seen at the beginning of the epidemic when Asians around the world were faced with discrimination and violent crime.
China isn’t the only place seeing a rise in cases, Huang said. “I don’t know why China should be treated differently from other countries like Australia, for example, which is swimming in Covid,” he added.
The U.S. appears to be importing tens of thousands of cases from around the world even now, Grepin said, adding that 1 to 3% of international immigration is there is covid – so there is nothing to expect covid to come from one country.
“We’ve seen this throughout the pandemic – when it comes to people coming from a certain place, it reinforces the information or the belief that the virus comes from some part of the world… It’s completely untrue. ,” he said.
Which countries are welcoming Chinese immigrants?
Which countries are welcoming Chinese travelers back?
In contrast, many countries have opened their doors to welcome.
The tourism ministries and embassies of France, Thailand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland all posted messages on Weibo, China’s Twitter, to invite tourists. from China.
“Friends of China, France welcomes you with open arms!” wrote the French official on Weibo. The Thai tourism board wrote: “Thailand has been waiting for you for three years!”
Many Weibo users celebrated their new freedom to travel, with the hashtag “Where to travel abroad in the new year” close to 80 million views.
Before the pandemic, China was the world’s largest market for outbound travel, rising from 4.5 million travelers in 2000 to 150 million. in 2018. The country is also the world’s largest spender, accounting for $277 billion or 16% of the world’s $1.7 trillion. international tourism spending, according to the UN’s World Tourism Organization.
China alone contributed 51% of travel and tourism GDP in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. And Chinese immigrants usually make up 30% of all arrivals in Thailand.
CNN’s Cheng Cheng, Pierre Meilhan, Kevin Liptak, Valentina Di Donato, Eric Cheung, Emi Jozuka, Gabby Gretener, Lauren Kent and CNN’s Beijing bureau contributed reporting.
Is Hong Kong open for travel?
To enter Hong Kong, all travelers from all destinations (including the Mainland and Macau) must take a RAT within 24 hours of their departure and take a photo of the negative result. after they write their name and date on the test stick.
Can I enter Hong Kong now? Entry and Entry Requirements: Are US citizens allowed to enter? Yes. Starting from May 1, 2022, travelers do NOT need to be Hong Kong citizens to enter Hong Kong.
Do I need to quarantine in Hong Kong?
Immigrants from overseas or Taiwan (3 years or older) arriving in Hong Kong through the International Airport of Hong Kong requires COVID-19 testing upon arrival.
When Hong Kong will open its borders?
The leader of Hong Kong announced that it will hope to reopen its borders with the mainland in the middle of January. Speaking at a press conference after returning from Beijing, Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said authorities would try to “gradually, systematically and comprehensively” reopen all entry points between the two sides.
Can a U.S. citizen marry in China?
Note that at least one party to the marriage must be a Chinese citizen. The American citizen is usually asked by the local authorities to provide the following documents in order to get married: A valid passport and a valid Chinese visa.
Can a US citizen legally marry in another country? Can US Citizens Celebrate Their Weddings Abroad? There is no US law that prevents US citizens from marrying abroad, so yes, you can go ahead and start planning your wedding abroad. To get legally married in another country, you must follow the country’s laws.
Can I live in China if I marry?
Generally when marrying a Chinese you are entitled to a one-year L visa, which can be obtained by submitting your marriage certificate (or certified non-Chinese translation), proof of the wife, registration of the residence card (you must register where you live at your home. local police station), passport and fees at …
What documents do you need to get married in China?
At your appointment you must submit a completed (but not signed) CNI application form and all of the following documents – your passport, your partner’s Chinese passport OR ID, your divorce certificate OR your ex-spouse’s death certificate, and your partner’s divorce certificate OR. the obituary…
How long can I stay in China?
How long can visitors with a US passport stay in China with a 10-year China Tourist Visa? Visitors holding a 10-year Chinese Tourist Visa may enter China for a maximum of 60 days upon entry. All visits are strictly limited to business or tourism, so you cannot find paid work or a job.
Can I stay in China for 6 months? Tourists in China require a visa and it is usually a single entry visa with a maximum stay of 30 days. US citizens may qualify for a multiple entry visa for 10 years. The tourist visa requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months and must have at least two blank pages.
How can I stay in China for a long time?
The normal stay for a Tourist (L) Visa is 30 days. If you want to stay longer than the given time, you must apply for China Visa Extension from the public security authorities at least one week before the expiration date. Overstaying is against Chinese law.
How long can foreigners live in China?
The maximum length of stay in China is more than 180 days. S2 Released to those who intend to visit family members who are working or studying in China, or those who are intended to travel to China for other private matters. The length of stay in China is not more than 180 days.
Which countries can Chinese travel to without visa?
As of December 2022, Chinese passport holders can travel visa-free to 39 countries and territories:
- Antigua and Barbuda.
- Bahamas.
- Barbados.
- Belarus.
- Benin.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- British Virgin Islands.
- Comoros.
Can Chinese travel to Italy without a visa? Italy is the favorite destination of many people all over the world because of its amazing attractions that will blow your mind. However, visiting this country means you need to obtain an Italian (Schengen) Visa for Citizens of CHINA.
Is UAE visa free for Chinese citizens?
UAE visa on arrival You have just disembarked your flight at Dubai International and proceeded to immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30-day visa-free visit. pay.
Can Chinese enter Canada without visa?
Canadian visa for Chinese citizens is required. For more information please contact the nearest office in Canada.
Can Chinese go to Russia without visa?
Chinese citizens are one of the travelers who need to get a visa to visit Russia. Fortunately, among the Russian visas that China is eligible for, there is the Russian eVisa.
