Quarantine requirements are set to be lifted for inbound travelers to China. According to press reports, starting on January 8, there will be no quarantine requirements for those arriving in the country, with the only requirement being a negative COVID test result issued within the preceding 48 hours. This is a critical development for all those doing business in or with China.
In addition to the elimination of quarantine requirements, Chinese citizens will once again be able to apply for passports. The issuance of travel documents for non-essential travel had been suspended during the pandemic.
As we have discussed, COVID travel restrictions have imposed great hardship on both Chinese companies and international ones doing business in or with the country. On the one hand, restrictions have complicated efforts by Chinese businesses to maintain client relationships, as we have seen first hand. At the same time, the difficulty (if not the