After Italy and Spain, the EU country France and Great Britain are also introducing compulsory corona tests for travelers from China.
In the future, they would have to submit a negative corona test that is less than 48 hours old, the government in Paris announced on Friday evening.
According to British media, the government in London will also introduce a corona test requirement for travelers from China.
In France, the test obligation for travelers to China should apply regardless of whether they land on French territory with a direct flight or after a change.
French government circles said that random corona tests would also be carried out on arrivals from China.
If the result is positive, virus sequencing is carried out to identify possible new variants of the corona virus.
Travelers from China are obliged to isolate themselves upon entry if they test positive for the corona virus.
In addition, a mask requirement applies to flights from China to France, it said.
The restrictions are due to be published later this weekend in the form of a decree by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, according to a French government statement.
The European Union and its member states would also be informed about the new rules.
Protective measures also in Germany?
With the decision in Paris, the pressure on Germany to also take protective measures could increase.
Italy had already introduced a corona test requirement for travelers from China on Wednesday, and Spain announced the step on Friday morning.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) told journalists on Friday that he currently saw no reason for travelers from China to be required to undergo a corona test.
At the meeting, Lauterbach also announced that he would be speaking to his French counterpart on Friday afternoon about the subject.
"We need a European solution," warned Lauterbach.
At the beginning of December, Beijing moved away from its strict zero-Covid policy in a radical about-face.
Since then, the corona restrictions have been significantly relaxed.
China is currently experiencing the highest increase in infections in the world, and hospitals are overcrowded in many places.
Countries such as the USA, Japan, India and Malaysia have already tightened their entry requirements for travelers from China this week.
Lauterbach explained on Friday that he currently sees no reason for routine corona tests when entering China, since all virus variants that have been observed so far are already known.
The EU health authority ECDC also argued this on Thursday.
At the same time, the Federal Minister of Health admitted that this assessment of the situation could change, especially since data on variants from China could not be called up "reliably".
He announced that he would prepare a system for "variant monitoring" at airports together with other European countries.