National version of China’s controversial health code isn’t ready

The central government also warns local governments not to go overboard by launching too many versions of health code

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Hangzhou, the eastern Chinese city where many tech companies are based, is among the first places to launch a health code system. (Picture: Alipay)

Published: 6:54pm, 9 Mar 2020Updated: 9:57pm, 9 Mar 2020

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

For many people in China, entering an office or public facility now requires showing a QR code that indicates whether someone is at risk of having Covid-19. Although this “health code” system has been enforced in many of the country’s cities, the National Health Commission said that a national version of the code isn’t ready yet.

Last month, Alipay announced that it was working with the government to launch a national health code system that would be similar to a local version being used in the city of Hangzhou, which has been controversial. More than two weeks after the announcement, though, the system still isn’t ready. The government said the “conditions and environment are not yet ripe” for a nationwide rollout.

China's State Council is currently trialing health codes in mini programs on Alipay and Tencent's WeChat, covering 100 cities. Provinces, counties and cities also continue to push ahead with their own local health code systems. But the National Health Commission advised local governments not to overdo it, as some people have been required to scan multiple health codes from different providers at a single location. A national version is meant to remedy this problem, the government said.

(Abacus is a unit of the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba, an affiliate of Alipay owner Ant Financial.)

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