What’s new: The Chinese embassy in the United States has updated guidelines for inbound travelers from the U.S., allowing passengers vaccinated by American-made non-inactivated vaccines to enter the country, according to a statement issued by the embassy on Wednesday.
Travelers who have received non-inactivated vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson will be eligible for apply for health certificates, the statement said. Passengers must get all the required shots before their trip to China, it added. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require two doses, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose.
China-bound passengers are still required to provide certificates of positive IgM antibody test results ― which are usually the result of being vaccinated and indicate protection from the virus ― as well as negative nucleic acid test results.
It is unclear now whether the new requirements would apply to inbound travelers from other countries and regions.
The background: Previously, Beijing had eased visa application requirements for foreigners seeking to enter the Chinese mainland from a number of regions and countries, including Japan and Hong Kong, if they have been inoculated with Chinese-made vaccines.
China has launched a digital “vaccine passport” to help citizens cross borders as coronavirus inoculation programs around the world gather pace.
Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)
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