China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine starting from next year, the National Health Commission said on Monday.
The move is a major step towards easing restrictions on its borders, which have been mainly shut since 2020.
China's management of Covid-19 will also be downgraded to the less strict Category B from the current top-level Category A, the health authority said, as the disease has become less virulent and will gradually evolve into a common respiratory infection.
Three years of zero tolerance, from closed borders to frequent lockdowns, have battered China's economy, leading to last month's biggest show of public discontent since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
But China made an abrupt policy retreat this month, dropping nearly all of its domestic Covid curbs in a move that has left hospitals across the country trying to cope with a nationwide wave of infections.
Strict requirements on inbound travellers had remained in place, including five days of mandatory quarantine at a government-supervised centre and three more of isolation at home.
That restriction and one on the number of passengers on international flights will be removed from January 8.
But travellers entering China will still have to undergo PCR testing 48 hours before departure, the health authority said.
Arrangements for foreigners to travel to China, such as for work and business, will be improved and the necessary visas will also be enabled, the authority said.
But passenger entry and exit at sea and land ports will gradually resume, while the outbound travel of Chinese nationals will be restored "in an orderly manner", it said.
Since January 2020, China had classified Covid-19 as a Category B infectious disease but managed it under Category A protocols that also cover diseases such as bubonic plague and cholera, giving local authorities the power to put patients and their close contacts into quarantine and lock down regions.
While China downgrades its management of the coronavirus, the National Health Commission said epidemic prevention and control protocols at institutions such as elderly care centres will be strengthened.
If an outbreak becomes severe, the institution will adopt "closed management" to prevent the spread of infections, the authority said.
China will also further increase the vaccination rate among the elderly and promote second doses among people at high risk of severe illness.
China is the last major country to move towards treating Covid as endemic.
Its containment measures had slowed the $17 trillion economy to its lowest growth rate in nearly half a century, disrupting global supply and trade.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
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