Published on : 23/01/2021 – 09:19
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A year after confinement in Wuhan, the epidemic situation has greatly improved in China. The country nevertheless maintains drastic health measures to prevent a recovery, with one of the strictest border control systems in the world.
On January 23, 2020, the Chinese government imposed a quarantine on Wuhan, along with several other cities in central China’s Hubei province, to combat the coronavirus pandemic. A year later, the drastic measures imposed by the authorities have borne fruit: no case of Covid-19 has been reported in Hubei province since last May, while nationally the authorities have reported one death in eight months.
But if most Chinese have returned to normal life, the country remains under cover and the few travelers allowed on Chinese soil must undergo drastic control procedures.
Tourism and business travel “impossible”
On March 26, 2020, when several new cases concerning foreign travelers were identified in China, Beijing announced the closure of its borders and the drastic reduction of international flights. “China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry of foreigners currently in possession of valid visas and residence permits,” the Foreign Ministry said at the time.
Authorities have since claimed to have repatriated more than 70,000 Chinese. But for foreign travelers, the country remains largely inaccessible.
“Tourist trips are impossible today,” we explain to the Parisian travel agency China Tourism Agency, contacted by France 24. “We have stopped all our activity since the announcements in March, because travel agencies like ours, they can no longer obtain visas for their clients from the embassy “.
Hugues de Revel, director of France China foundation, which organizes meetings between young entrepreneurs, also had to find a reason: “Within the framework of our activities, it is essential to organize direct meetings so we tried, but our requests were unsuccessful. Everything is done to discourage travel with complex consular procedures. Even by proving the imperative nature of the mission or that the person is resident in China, there is no guarantee and travelers take the risk of having to cancel at the last minute “he laments.
Drastic constraints which a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) paid the price. Negotiated for several months with the Chinese government, the investigation aimed at determining the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic was almost canceled at the last minute, in early January, for delays in authorization, causing the deep annoyance of its director .
Quarantines at the expense of travelers
The rare travelers authorized to enter Chinese territory must then arm themselves with patience. Because in addition to the obligation of the PCR test (less than 72 hours at the time of the flight), they are forced to observe a strict and individual quarantine, for a period of 14 or 21 days depending on the city, in a place designated by the local authorities. “The costs relating to this quarantine in a dedicated place are the responsibility of the travelers”, specifies, on its site, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. “As hotels may require members of the same family to quarantine in several rooms, the cost of a 14-day quarantine for several people can be quite high.”
Another problem is the drastic reduction in international flights. China only allows Chinese companies one weekly flight to a third country. A decision that has led to reciprocity measures from many countries, further complicating travel to China. “The Chinese government has communicated a lot about the fact that it wants to maintain international connections despite the pandemic. But it is a cosmetic decision because the flights have been reduced so much that it is almost impossible to get there”, analysis Antoine Bondaz, researcher, specialist in relations between Europe and Asia, contacted by France 24.
Lessons for Europe?
Observed for a time with an incredulous eye by the West, the containment measures imposed by China have made their way into the European Union.
Since January 18, France has required travelers arriving from a country outside the EU to produce a negative PCR test and observe a seven-day quarantine. Faced with the threat of more contagious variants, the European Union also wishes to strengthen border controls in the Schengen area.
“These control measures are not specific to China. Taiwan or even South Korea have also taken very proactive steps with strict confinements at the start of the crisis,” explains Antoine Bondaz. “But it is true that these countries have bet on a different health approach with a goal of zero cases. Europe, for its part, preferred to limit the epidemic to avoid hospital overflow. Today, in view of the results in Asia , it is certain that the look has changed, “he concludes.
For his part, Hugues de Revel does not hide his admiration: “When we hear our partners in China explain that they are doing events with 300, 400 people… it’s a dream for sure! China’s capacity for economic rebound is incredible ; French companies are contacting us today because they want to take advantage of it by setting up there. “
Despite a sharp decline due to the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s economic growth remains positive (+ 2.3% of GDP in 2020, according to the government). On the health side, the country is sticking to a drastic preventive strategy. After the discovery of epidemic foci in the north as well as in the Beijing region, several thousand Chinese were immediately re-confined in January, banned from traveling as the Lunar New Year holidays approached.
On the same subject : The Covid-19 pandemic boosts the business of Chinese exporters
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