Asian countries impose hodgepodge of tests for Chinese arrivals

Some Asia-Pacific countries will require inbound Chinese passengers to test negative for Covid-19, while others are taking a wait-and-see approach. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan will all impose a requirement for arriving passengers with a recent travel history to China, while India is requiring testing for passengers from several countries. Australia and Singapore, historically major destinations for Chinese travellers, are taking a wait-and-see approach. From 5 January, the USA will also require a negative Covid-19 test or proof of recovery from international travellers from China. The scramble to impose – or not impose – testing requirements comes following China’s abrupt abandonment of leader Xi Jinping’s signature ‘zero-Covid’ policy, and Beijing’s subsequent decision to lift all international travel restrictions from 8 January. Governments have expressed concern about new variants emerging as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 tears through China’s population, which is poorly vaccinated and lacks natural immunity to the disease. There is also great scepticism about Chinese Covid-19 statistics, which greatly downplay the country’s health situation. According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, passengers with travel history to China within the last seven days will need to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival. Taiwan has taken a particularly tough line, imposing PCR tests as well as seven days of self-quarantine. Taiwan’s suspension of Chinese tourism remains in place. India has gone even further, imposing testing requirements on passengers from China, as well as on arrivals from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. Local media reports indicate that Singapore will not impose special tests for arriving Chinese passengers. Australia is also staying away from imposing tests for Chinese passengers. <br/>