China ends arrival quarantines for international travelers
China lifts mandatory arrival quarantines and shortens pre-entry requirements, signaling a new phase in its post-pandemic opening.
China is often seen as the international travel barometer, and the last three years have seen the country remain largely closed to inbound visitors. That changed on 8 January, when health authorities announced the country was lifting mandatory arrival quarantines for international travelers.
From that date forward, proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the previous 48 hours is now the only requirement for entry to China. The policy shift follows the lifting, in early December, of most COVID-19 restrictions that had been in place since 2020.
Tourist visas have been unavailable for nearly three years, and international flight capacity has remained severely restricted. According to official figures published by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of international arrivals fell by 85% in 2020.
The National Health Commission also confirmed it would stop publishing daily COVID-19 case counts, without providing further explanation—marking the latest step away from its former "Zero-COVID" stance following its December dismantling.
