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CHINA will not allow overseas visitors to enter the country, unless they have received an injection of a vaccine made in China. The announcement was made as China continues processing visas for foreigners from various countries, as long as they have one of the five vaccines approved internally in China.
The country has explicitly excluded travelers who have obtained and approved vaccines abroad, even for injections approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), of which China is also a member of the organization.
The move comes after China banned all non-essential travel to the country when the pandemic started in March last year. However, the resumption of travel was seen as an important part of economic recovery, so the country was negotiating entry requirements.
Although the announcements vary slightly by country, Chinese embassies in about 20 countries including Hong Kong, United States, United Kingdom, India, Australia, Iraq, Thailand, Croatia, Israel, Pakistan and the Philippines announced that they will begin visa processing afterwards.
Apart from having at least one dose of the Chinese-made vaccine, travelers must also have a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine upon arrival. Previously the country had also implemented anal swabs on incoming overseas travelers. In addition to allowing overseas visitors for work-related purposes, China said it would provide greater eligibility for admission to non-emergency humanitarian needs, family visits, or elderly care.
While the Chinese-made vaccines currently available from 5 manufacturers have been approved by countries such as the Philippines and Thailand, many countries that are allowed to travel do not have such an approval. Lack of transparency data and a dearth of information led to initial skepticism about China’s vaccines, although more recent data have alleviated concerns about the safety and efficacy of their vaccine shots.
Of China’s five vaccines, all of which are approved for general or emergency use internally, three have been used in other countries. China has also committed to sending vaccine donations to poor countries, which some see as vaccine diplomacy to strengthen their position. [bisnis.com/photo special]
