Travelers pass Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
Yan Cong | Bloomberg | Getty Images
China is facilitating the entry of foreigners who have been inoculated with Chinese coronavirus vaccines, after closing its borders to international travel more than a year ago, due to Covid-19.
Several Chinese embassies around the world – including those in the United States, UK, India, Israel and the Philippines – issued notices on Monday describing how foreigners can apply for visas to enter China.
But the instructions only apply to those who have been fully vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccines made in China and have the vaccination certificate to prove it.
To be clear, people with valid residence permits can enter China without new visas. Those without Chinese vaccines can also apply for visas, but they will need stronger reasons or specific documents to meet the requirements.
Vaccine nationalism is a possibility that cannot be ruled out, given the absence of further explanation.
Chong Ja Ian
Associate Professor of Political Science
Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, assessed the possible reasons for China’s move.
“Vaccine nationalism is a possibility that cannot be ruled out, given the lack of further explanation,” he told CNBC by email.
Chong also said that some observers suggest that this is a way for China to get more use and recognition of its vaccines or to get countries to approve them more quickly.
China has developed five vaccines and 34 countries have approved at least one Chinese vaccine, according to CNBC calculations based on a Covid-19 vaccine tracking website.
For comparison, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been approved by 72 countries, while the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved in 74 countries.
Chinese vaccines were met with some skepticism, as the information is less available compared to that produced by Western pharmaceutical companies.
Covid-19 was first reported in China, in the city of Wuhan, before spreading to the rest of the world. The coronavirus is almost entirely under control in China now, but the country’s borders have remained closed to foreigners.
Entry requirements
Each embassy notice differed in the text, but generally, foreigners from certain countries who have been fully vaccinated with Chinese vaccines require fewer documents to apply for visas. They can also enter the country for more reasons – although tourism is not one of them.
For example, the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom said that those applying for entry for business purposes will no longer need to submit an invitation letter from provincial governments or trade departments. Those without a Chinese vaccine will still need to produce an invitation letter to apply, based on the visa requirements announced in November.
China has also broadened the scope of those who can apply for a visa for humanitarian purposes. Those in the UK who wish to enter the country to meet with their family can now submit an application if they have taken the Chinese photos.
Without the Chinese vaccine, foreigners from the United Kingdom can only apply for entry if a family member is in critical condition and in need of care, or if they need to arrange a funeral in China.
The country’s quarantine measures of up to 21 days still apply when relevant and negative Covid tests need to be submitted. Applicants must wait 14 days after receiving a vaccine made in China before applying for a visa to enter China.