China Covid Curbs

he United States is set to end on Friday mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China, joining other countries in dropping the requirements, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.

China's top leaders today hailed the "miracle" of the country's zero-Covid reversal, calling the dramatic turn away from hardline virus curbs a "major decisive victory" and "completely correct", according to state media.

Almost a quarter more domestic Chinese tourism trips have been made during this year's Lunar New Year holiday, while cross-border travel more than doubled in the first six days of the week-long break following the end of strict COVID-19 curbs.

The Chinese embassy in South Korea has suspended the issue of short-term visas for South Korean visitors, it said on Tuesday, the first retaliatory move against nations imposing COVID-19 curbs on travellers from China.

People joined long queues outside immigration offices in Beijing on Monday, eager to renew their passports after China dropped Covid border controls that had largely prevented its 1.4 billion residents from travelling for three years.

China braced for a "new phase" in its battle against COVID-19 on Monday and financial markets strengthened after Beijing dropped pandemic border controls in the latest easing of curbs that has let the virus loose on its 1.4 billion population.

The United States on Wednesday said that the restrictions imposed on flyers from China are because of the "lack of adequate and transparent" data from Beijing over the omicron subvariants that has the potential to spread beyond its borders.

Around a dozen countries have slapped fresh travel regulations on travellers from China, as the world's most populous nation faces a surge in Covid cases following its decision to relax strict virus restrictions.

The UK has joined a growing list of countries, including India, to introduce curbs on travellers from China amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the country after Chinese authorities relaxed the strict "zero-COVID" rules.

France on Friday joined a growing list of nations imposing Covid tests on travellers from China, after Beijing dropped foreign travel curbs despite surging cases -- and amid questions about its data reporting.

As COVID-19 infections surge in China, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering sampling wastewater taken from international aircraft to track any emerging new variants, the agency told Reuters.

South Korea took steps on Friday to limit travellers from mainland China, imposing visa restrictions, testing requirements and limiting flights as Beijing grapples with a surge in Covid infections.

Chinese state-media said Covid testing requirements imposed by several places around the world in response to a surging wave of infections were "discriminatory", in the clearest pushback yet against restrictions that are slowing down its re-opening.

Several places around the world have imposed curbs on travellers from China amid a COVID-19 surge after Beijing relaxed strict "zero-COVID" measures.

The UK will consider on Thursday imposing COVID-19 restrictions for arrivals from China, including requiring tests for the coronavirus, the Telegraph reported.

he United States is set to end on Friday mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China, joining other countries in dropping the requirements, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.

China's top leaders today hailed the "miracle" of the country's zero-Covid reversal, calling the dramatic turn away from hardline virus curbs a "major decisive victory" and "completely correct", according to state media.

Almost a quarter more domestic Chinese tourism trips have been made during this year's Lunar New Year holiday, while cross-border travel more than doubled in the first six days of the week-long break following the end of strict COVID-19 curbs.

The Chinese embassy in South Korea has suspended the issue of short-term visas for South Korean visitors, it said on Tuesday, the first retaliatory move against nations imposing COVID-19 curbs on travellers from China.

People joined long queues outside immigration offices in Beijing on Monday, eager to renew their passports after China dropped Covid border controls that had largely prevented its 1.4 billion residents from travelling for three years.

China braced for a "new phase" in its battle against COVID-19 on Monday and financial markets strengthened after Beijing dropped pandemic border controls in the latest easing of curbs that has let the virus loose on its 1.4 billion population.

The United States on Wednesday said that the restrictions imposed on flyers from China are because of the "lack of adequate and transparent" data from Beijing over the omicron subvariants that has the potential to spread beyond its borders.

Around a dozen countries have slapped fresh travel regulations on travellers from China, as the world's most populous nation faces a surge in Covid cases following its decision to relax strict virus restrictions.

The UK has joined a growing list of countries, including India, to introduce curbs on travellers from China amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the country after Chinese authorities relaxed the strict "zero-COVID" rules.

France on Friday joined a growing list of nations imposing Covid tests on travellers from China, after Beijing dropped foreign travel curbs despite surging cases -- and amid questions about its data reporting.

As COVID-19 infections surge in China, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering sampling wastewater taken from international aircraft to track any emerging new variants, the agency told Reuters.

South Korea took steps on Friday to limit travellers from mainland China, imposing visa restrictions, testing requirements and limiting flights as Beijing grapples with a surge in Covid infections.

Chinese state-media said Covid testing requirements imposed by several places around the world in response to a surging wave of infections were "discriminatory", in the clearest pushback yet against restrictions that are slowing down its re-opening.

Several places around the world have imposed curbs on travellers from China amid a COVID-19 surge after Beijing relaxed strict "zero-COVID" measures.

The UK will consider on Thursday imposing COVID-19 restrictions for arrivals from China, including requiring tests for the coronavirus, the Telegraph reported.