China’s zero-Covid border rules going nowhere this year

Name: Global Covid caseload exceeds 356 million as infections climb in areas with low vaccination rates
Uploaded: 2022-01-27T12:30:24.000Z
Duration: 1 min 29 s
Description: Global Covid caseload exceeds 356 million as infections climb in areas with low vaccination rates

Immigration body highlights raging pandemic outside China in call to ‘reduce cross-border flows’ but promises flexibility

Move was widely expected, given the Beijing Winter Olympics, ‘two sessions’ and 20th party congress coming up this year

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Workers in protective gear at the Beijing Capital International Airport wait to inspect Olympic credentials ahead of the Winter Games. Photo: AP

Jane Cai

Published: 8:30pm, 27 Jan 2022

China is unlikely to ease pandemic-related border controls any time soon, despite mounting calls from an international community shut out by strict zero-Covid rules for nearly two years.

The National Immigration Administration hinted as much on Thursday, as a spokesman called on people to reduce cross-border activities this year if the trip was “not urgent, not necessary”.

“The pandemic has not been brought under control in foreign countries. It remains a challenging job for China to prevent imported cases,” spokesman Chen Jie told a press conference in Beijing.

“We should cherish China’s hard-won success [in controlling Covid-19] and reduce cross-border flows,” Chen said in response to a query on whether entry-exit controls would be loosened this year.

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Global Covid caseload exceeds 356 million as infections climb in areas with low vaccination rates

Under its zero-Covid strategy, China has tightened visa rules and banned the entry of most non-Chinese nationals, even if they hold valid papers

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