China to let foreigners into the country if they’ve had Beijing-made Covid vaccine

China is set to relax Covid border restrictions and allow foreigners into the country for the first time since it limited most travel last March if arrivals have been vaccinated with a Beijing-made vaccine.

The government in Beijing limited travel near the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, preventing foreigners who work in China or have family in the country from entering due to concerns about the spread of the virus, but restrictions are set to be eased, according to a notice issued to Chinese embassies.

Diplomatic missions across the world have been informed that China is opening up its visa application process to foreigners if they have been inoculated with a Beijing-made vaccine.

Individuals must have had two doses of the vaccine or a single dose that was received 14 days or more before the visa application is made. Even if the visa is successfully granted, visitors will still be expected to quarantine for three weeks upon arrival, to minimise transmission risks.

The move could allow individuals, including from areas such as India, Pakistan and the United States, to enter China for work, business travel or humanitarian needs, which includes visiting family.

Chinese-made vaccines have already been distributed internationally to some countries, including Cambodia, Hungary, Indonesia, the Philippines and Turkey, where they are being used in government rollouts, with plans to export another 400 million doses. 

However, as the jab is not currently available in every country, the new requirement will automatically exclude from the visa process travellers who hold the passports of certain nations.

China has currently produced two main vaccines, CoronaVac and Sinopharm, with other potential contenders under consideration. CoronaVac has reportedly shown between 50.4% and 91.25% effectiveness in international trials, while Sinopharm has been found to be between 79% and 86% effective. 

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