Moodys and Fitch also both downgraded Evergrandes credit rating in June, citing its worsening financial conditions. appreciated. The Winter Olympics start in and around Beijing in February, followed by the annual session of Chinas rubber-stamp parliament. Non-vaccinated air travelers will be also able to enter but they will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test. Chinese companies are developing new vaccines based on mRNA technology, but no evidence has yet been released about their efficacy. Hong Kong has banned all noncitizens and nonresidents since the spring of 2020. Visitors are strongly urged to keep on top of local restrictions and rule changes as much as possible. On Tuesday, the city reversed course on a scheme that allowed residents to spend only seven days in quarantine if they could prove they were fully vaccinated and conducted a test to show that the vaccine provided enough antibodies to fight off infection. Many developing countries have relied heavily on Chinese shots. Beijing expelled at least 18 foreign correspondents last year, and few Western outlets have been granted visas for new journalists to be based in China, according to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China. Vaccinated motorists line up to cross the border at the San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-US border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 7, 2021. Vaccine politics bring further complications. Their everyday movements will be tracked by a mandatory smartphone health code app, required for entry to office buildings, restaurants, shopping malls and train stations. China may be only monthsif not weeksaway from Zhongs target. Our vaccination rate has not reached 80%85% yet.. In August, Chinese social media users launched a campaign against another top Chinese infectious disease expert, Zhang Wenhong, for his comments that China must learn to coexist with the virus, rather than try to eradicate it. How harsh are Chinas COVID restrictions? Many people in China like being covid-free. Now more than ever, players rightly see themselves as multi-faceted entrepreneurs, and seek ways to leverage their brands in everything from real estate to venture capital. Regional lockdowns have been imposed every time there are new outbreaks of the virus. The city government doesnt want to be seen as pursuing an opposing policy as the rest of China, Thomas said. Anecdote by anecdote, evidence is mounting that foreigners, whether suspected of bearing dangerous germs or ideas, are becoming less welcome. Some of the 14 countries that share a border with China are Russia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal and Laos. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices The US on Monday reopened . . But in China, even people suffering from mild symptoms are hospitalised. Data from travel and analytics firm Cirium showed airlines are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the U.S. by 21% this month over last month. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. Updated: 3:23pm, 21 Jun, 2021. . .css-16c7pto-SnippetSignInLink{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;}Sign In, Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved, adidas Promo Code - $30 Off 1000s of Best-Sellers + Free Shipping, 60% off running shoes and apparel at Nike without a promo code, Save 15% on orders of $100+ with Kohl's coupon. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of international students enrolled in Chinese universities have been barred from returning to the country, with many voicing frustrations on Twitter and tagging Chinese diplomats for help to no avail. Though about 63% of the population has been fully vaccinated, many received the Chinese Sinovac vaccine, which has had its efficacy against the highly infectious Delta variant questioned. For their part, foreigners who live in mainland China appreciate being in a country that has the virus under control: in spring 2020 hundreds of millions of Chinese spent weeks at home to break the chain of transmission, often without pay. Photo: AP. The Communist Party has made the goal of eliminating covid-19 infections a top priority. It has had only a few new cases in recent months. International tourism, both inbound and outbound, has ground to a halt. Finally, the west is doing its own reopening. But one city, arguably Asias biggest financial center, is absent from the list: Hong Kong. The lowest estimate was 6.6 billion USD per year, with a disclaimer that it could well be double that figure. China wants 80% of its population vaccinated by the end of 2021. 2. IT IS BECOMING clear that China will not, or perhaps cannot, re-open its borders soon. Continue reading your article witha WSJ subscription, Already a member? Finally, though open discussion of this question is taboo, the authorities are being oddly secretive about how well Chinese-made vaccines work. When borders reopen to tourists, countries that ran large surpluses on their tourism accounts pre-Covid -- Thailand and New Zealand among others -- stand to gain the most, writes Asia Chief economist Chang Shu. Perhaps China wants to protect domestic drugmakers from competition, suggest foreign diplomats. The moves come as the U.S. has seen its COVID-19 outlook improve dramatically in recent weeks since the summer delta surge that pushed hospitals to the brink in many locations. The bottom line is that businesses should be aware that the risks faced in mainland China are now increasingly present in Hong Kong, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. The party has several important events it does not want disrupted by covid-19 outbreaks. public health experts and local politicians. Tough decisions will need to be made soon. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Meanwhile, mainland China has yet to approve any foreign vaccines, including the most effective ones that use mRNA gene technology. The record breaking rains, and similar flooding incidents happening in other parts of the country, have alarmed scientists and officials raising questions as to whether China is prepared to deal with more extreme weather as the climate crisis deepens. Passengers walk through Salt Lake City International Airport, Oct. 27, 2020. On Sunday, a member of the Executive Council told local media the city might not be able to open its China border until February. Zhong said that trying to keep the disease out of China forever may become futile, especially as a high nationwide vaccination rate renders the disease less dangerous. At present, most visitors are not yet allowed entry to the country. Given the sheer size of the company and the fact that its huge debt is widely held in China by banks and retail investors a default by Evergrande could pose significant risks to Chinas financial system. But hoping that mainland China will reopen its borders may ultimately leave Hong Kong effectively sealed off from the rest of the world for the foreseeable future. The pandemic has sped up those trendsas it has inspired at times nasty anti-Chinese racism abroad. Ordinary Chinese associate the virus with fear and stigma, knowing that a single infected person may force thousands of neighbours, colleagues or classmates into quarantine. These travelers are still required to take two PCR tests 24-48 hours before going to China (depending on their departure airport) and a pre-flight antigen test. Shares of Evergrande have fallen 48% in Hong Kong since the start of this year. It has been about 2 years that foreign students cannot come to China, but there are still possibilities that C. But Chinese officials and state media have also pushed the narrative that it is a further vindication of Beijings rise and the Wests decline. Students have postponed their studies, threatening the finances of universities across the globe; small international businesses have shut down; and the belt and road initiative, designed to broaden Chinas global impact, has been slowed. These include the Winter Olympics that Beijing will host next February and a Communist Party congress in late 2022, at which Xi Jinping is set to seek a fresh term as supreme leader. For the newly qualified entrants . appreciated. The people who want to open up international travel expats, people with families abroad unfortunately, thats a minority. White House has confirmed the reopening date for international tourism, current travel curbs will be lifted on November 8. Editors Note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world. All our stories relating to the pandemic and the vaccines can be found on our coronavirus hub. GDP in the first quarter of this year grew 18.3%; in the EU, it fell 0.6%. Moreover, China is in a better position than most countries to stay closed: its exports have barely been affected, and foreign direct investment is higher than it was before the pandemic. Zhongs comments suggest that Chinas government may be warming to the idea of learning to live with COVID, marking another shift in stance. Official media published a story by a former health minister (whose background is in finance) expressing astonishment at the idea of easing controls. Chinas COVID-zero playbook for battling the virus has proved successful against the Delta variant of COVID-19. Lots of Chinese are cross about a lack of overseas praise for their countrys strict approach. But there's one condition: they need to have received a China-made Covid-19 vaccine. Strict quarantine requirements may therefore persist for much, if not all, of 2022. Non-Chinese vaccines might speed up the answer . It will be hard to convince people that living with the virus is not as scary as the party has claimed. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Mutual distrust will be hard to overcome until China re-opens. All Rights Reserved. Any change to this message would take time and would also be embarrassing. Of course, international travel is important, international business is important to us but by comparison, the mainland is more important.. The city is now effectively stuck in limbo, backed into a corner by its own policies with no easy path out. Hong Kongs vaccination campaign has improved in recent months after a sluggish start, but 50% of Hong Kong residents remain completely unvaccinated. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. International schools are braced for a fresh exodus this summer, it is said, including of teachers who have not seen families outside China for more than a year. On Sunday, Zhong Nanshan, one of Chinas top epidemiologists and government advisers, suggested that the country may begin to loosen its COVID-zero restrictions by the end of the year and learn to live with the virusa potential change in tack for a country that has not budged from its mission to eliminate every single case of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. China May Have More to Lose If Borders Open to Tourists. Loved ones have missed holidays, birthdays and funerals while nonessential air travel was barred, and they are now eager to reconnect. Disney fans will also be pleased to hear that Shanghai Disney Resort is open as normal, albeit with some health precautions. And so far, Chinese authorities have shown little urgency in reopening. Hong Kongs decision to follow suit means the diverse metropolis, once known for attracting international business and globetrotting expats, is instead retreating further into isolation. Staying home is the best way to stem transmission. The new rules allow air travel from previously restricted countries as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. Still, Zhong said China will not automatically reopen its borders upon reaching the 80%85% vaccination threshold, since case rates in other countries will also weigh on its plans. This week, it further clarified that the change although not yet legislated has already been effective since the announcement, amid confusion over its implementation. More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the U.K. and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status. Things can change fast in China. Its much more unsettling to think you could be thrown in jail as a hostage simply because you hold an American passport, the way Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were thrown in jail as Canadian hostages, in retaliation for something my government did that the Chinese regime didnt like, wrote James Mann, a journalist and author on China. On June 28, China announced that it would loosen, but not drop, its requirements for incoming travelers. State media describe foreigners, notably Americans, as too selfish, science-scorning and obsessed with individual rights to control the virus. But in May, EU regulators trying to inspect a vaccine production site near Beijing were stymied by Chinese officials who insisted that those busy scientists would have to spend three weeks in quarantine. This week, Zhang Wenhong, one of Chinas most prominent infectious disease experts, is battling a plagiarism allegation that could tar his professional reputation after he was criticized online and by state media outlets for suggesting that China should deviate from its COVID-zero approach and learn to live with the virus. Updated Those failing the checks will be sent to government facilities. Beyond that, specific details have not yet been spelled out. Propaganda outlets stress that new cases involve arrivals from abroad. A good example of epidemiological rigour is provided by the current outbreak in Shenzhen. 0. But its also thoroughly modern, with mushrooming cities and skyscrapers pricking the clouds. Discovery Company. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Amid its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, in June Hong Kong announced that it would reduce hotel quarantine periods to seven days for fully vaccinated travelers, signaling that the city might have been on the way to reopening as an international travel hub. Surveys by the American and European chambers of commerce suggested the number of foreign residents in China had fallen by 30% in 18 months. I was vaccinated at the first opportunity, and in the last few weeks the campaign has turned up a notch. September 26 - China to reopen border regions to foreign visitors The Chinese government issued draft regulations on Monday, September 19, aiming for increasing tourism along its borders and making it simpler for some foreigners to enter China. A closed border also gives the Chinese government more control on who they want to let into the country. These travelers are still required to take two PCR tests 24-48 hours before going to China (depending on their departure airport) and a pre-flight antigen test. Athletes' ambitions don't end when they leave the field of play. Most people in China would happily stay in this parallel universe for another five years. The Spaniard had apparently tested positive for antibodies, either as a result of having been vaccinated or after recovering from a bout of covid-19. But Hong Kongs strict new rules may help stem Delta-driven outbreaks and bring the city closer to opening quarantine-free travel with mainland Chinathat is, if Chinas government ever chooses to accept travelers from Hong Kong. Neither option is ideal.. China is the last large country in the world with a zero-covid policy. Chinese leaders have declared that zero tolerance of covid-19 is a mark of good government. The government rejected an offer for them to fly in by charter plane for a brief inspection visit in protective suits. Visitors will be greeted by expanded digital surveillance, which played a central role in Chinas successful containment of the virus. China has maintained a strict zero-Covid approach, even as many other countries transition to living with the coronavirus. But even the largest such businesses struggle to obtain visas for the families of their expatriate staff. Why you can trust SCMP . On Sunday, a member of the Executive Council told local media the city might not be able to open its China border until February. 2:39 AM EDT, Wed July 21, 2021. This makes it hard for the party to reopen borders. Their priorities are different from those who are locally based., The broader general public is so used to zero cases, theyre happy, he added. Hong Kongs strict new quarantine rules will effectively close the city off from international travel for the foreseeable future at the same time that other major financial centers like New York, London, and Singapore have been pursuing reopening plans even amid the rise of the highly transmissible Delta variant. 3:31 AM EDT, Fri October 8, 2021. A single case can lead to city-wide testing and lockdown. Its a moving target, he said. Its been four months since Kovrig and Spavor were tried behind closed doors and 953 days since they were detained, but Beijing has not released any news on either of the men. On a recent domestic flight, Chaguans neighbour pointedly asked to move seats. Residents from many provinces now get shopping coupons when they are vaccinated, and nationwide 20m doses are being administered every day. And if Hong Kong wants to reopen to the mainland, it may have to abide by a similar zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19. China's border reopening and travel restrictions | South China Morning Post Latest news and updates about travel restrictions, quarantine requirement for foreigners, and zero Covid-19 policy. Last week, the Biden administration warned American companies about the risk of doing business in Hong Kong, citing Beijings increasing crackdown on the city. Chinas Covid suppression has been maintained by nearly closed borders since March 2020. Updated The reasons are many. Below is information on what to know if you still plan to travel, last updated on September 21. Beijing is planning to keep its pandemic border restrictions in place for at least another year as officials fret over the emergence of new variants and a calendar of sensitive events, according to people familiar with the matter, despite a coronavirus vaccination campaign that has topped one billion doses. But Zhong acknowledged that Chinas strict COVID rules impose a burden on the government and that the costs of maintaining the measures may eventually outweigh the health benefits. A woman looks out at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor on September 30. For 18 months, China's borders have been all but locked, with most foreigners banned from entering the country and residents able to enter only after serving 14- to 21-day mandatory quarantines. The case, in addition to a surge in Delta-driven waves of infections worldwide, prompted Hong Kong public health experts and local politicians over the weekend to call for Hong Kong to increase quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers. Beijing, where top leaders live, is off limits. 27/12/2022. The key to this success has been the rapidity and rigour of the measures taken to curtail community transmission. Chinese officials declined to explain. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Daniel Falush is a professor at the Center for Microbes, Development and Health at the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, In rich countries, vaccines are making Covid-19 a manageable health issue | Devi Sridhar, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. List of countries for which the borders with Estonia are partially or completely open: In June, Hong Kong began loosening pandemic travel restrictions that, over the past 18 months, have transformed it from Asias World City to one of the most closed-off places on the planet. But long before the warning, some Americans and other Westerners with long-lasting professional ties with China had already grown wary of visiting both mainland China and Hong Kong. articles a month for anyone to read, even non-subscribers! Images of mask-less Westerners on crowded beaches or rampaging at anti-lockdown protests are a staple of Chinese news coverage. China cannot carry on like this because COVID-19 is a global disease that requires China and the rest of the world to work together and beat it, he said. Zhongs comments are the first indication that China is tying its reopening plans to a vaccination goal. [China border complete information] Chinese universities announced yesterday about international s. This means that all Hong Kong residentsexcept for those coming from mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, or New Zealandwill have to spend at least 14 days in quarantine upon arrival regardless of vaccination status. Many attractions require guests to register one day in advance and to take a Covid test before being permitted to enter. These travelers will be permitted to visit specific sites as part of group tours, not on individual itineraries. The problem is that opening the borders is hard to reconcile with Chinese peoples expectations of zero Covid cases. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Travel Restrictions for U.S. Citizens On Monday, Hong Kong declared the U.S., France, and 14 other countries as high-risk for COVID-19, meaning that Hong Kong travelers from a total of 25 countries would now have to stay in 21-day mandatory hotel quarantines regardless of vaccination status. The index case was a port worker, who as a member of a high-risk group was tested every five days. Airlines will also collect information about passengers for contact tracing efforts. As a result, opening up could pose challenges to hospitals, especially in rural areas.