BEIJING (AP) — Australia and Canada have joined a growing list of countries requiring travelers from China to undergo a COVID-19 test before boarding flights, as China battles a coronavirus outbreak nationwide after abruptly lifting the pandemic’s long-standing restrictions.
Australian health authorities said on Sunday that from January 5, all air travelers from mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within two days of departure.
Canadian authorities announced similar measures that will also take effect on January 5 in a statement dated Saturday.
Australia and Canada join other countries, including the US, UK, India, Japan and several European nations, in imposing tougher COVID-19 measures on Chinese travelers amid concerns over a lack of data on infections in China and fears about the possibility of new variants spreading. .
China, which for most of the pandemic had adopted a “COVID zero” strategy that imposed harsh restrictions aimed at eradicating the virus, abruptly eased those measures in December. Chinese authorities have previously said that from January 8, foreign travelers will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival in China, paving the way for Chinese residents to travel.
Hong Kong is also preparing for quarantine-free travel to China, with plans to resume operations at multiple border checkpoints from January 8, according to a Facebook post by Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan.
However, a quota will remain that limits the number of travelers between the two places.
“Depending on the first phase of the situation, we will gradually expand the scale for a full reopening of the border,” Chan said.
In China, the easing of restrictions has allowed residents to celebrate the New Year at large-scale gatherings that have been banned for much of the pandemic, despite the country experiencing a massive outbreak of cases.
“There are still some concerns, sort of,” said Wu Yanxia, a 51-year-old Beijing resident who works at a logistics company. “I hope next year everything is normal, like domestic travel.”
Others are hoping 2023 brings better things after a difficult past year.
“We have experienced a very uneven year, especially unforgettable, with many things from our imaginations,” said Li Feng, a teacher in Beijing, adding that 2022 has been a difficult year for both the people and the government.
“But I think we are over it and everything will be fine,” Li said. “We will all always be better both at work and in life.”
