China News Service, March 11 (Zhang Naiyue) Although there is a time difference, since March 11, both Australia and South Korea have canceled the pre-departure new crown virus testing requirements for tourists entering from China.

Japan and many European countries have also relaxed the epidemic prevention measures for entry from China.

　　With the adjustment of corresponding policies in many countries around the world, it will be more convenient for passengers from China to travel, and the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel will also be more convenient.

Data map: Passengers are preparing to go to the international, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan departure gates at the T3 terminal of Beijing Capital International Airport.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Hou Yu

The number of flights between Japan, South Korea and Australia has increased sharply

　　According to the Australian Federal Department of Health, starting from March 11, Australia has canceled the pre-departure new crown testing requirements for passengers arriving from mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China and Macao Special Administrative Region of China.

　　Australian Minister of Health and Aged Care Mark Butler praised the adjustment as "a wise and prudent decision".

　　According to a report from the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number and rate of positive COVID-19 tests in China will peak at the end of December 2022, and fluctuations will decline thereafter.

Butler noted the trend, adding that China has been regularly contributing data to the Global Influenza Sharing Database (GISAID) and there have been no reports of new strains of concern.

　　In East Asia, South Korea and Japan have also made new changes in their policies on tourists arriving from China.

　　The South Korean government has decided to fully lift the epidemic prevention restrictions on people entering China from March 11.

Starting today, people entering South Korea from China will not need to submit a negative pre-departure nucleic acid test certificate, and will not need to fill in the quarantine information input system.

　　At the same time, Korean airlines have successively increased the number of round-trip flights between China and South Korea. In the first half of 2023, the number of flights is expected to return to 40% of the level before the epidemic.

　　Asiana Airlines, the second largest airline in South Korea, recently announced that it will increase the number of weekly flights to China from the current 9 and 10 to 17 and 89 flights starting from March.

Asiana Airlines believes that this increase in flights will be the starting point for the full resumption of routes to China.

Data map: Incheon International Airport, South Korea, staff walked through the airport hall.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Zeng Nai

　　In addition, Japan has relaxed the epidemic prevention measures for entry from China since March 1, and adjusted from general testing to random sampling.

　　Along with this measure, Japan has also allowed direct flights from China to be expanded to airports other than Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Kansai and Chubu.

For further policies, the Japanese government "will pay attention to the epidemic situation in China and the practices of other countries, and discuss flexibly."

　　The Japanese travel website "Travelvoice" believes that the adjustment of measures will have a positive impact on the inbound tourism market.

Europe's 'phasing out' of restrictions could boost travel market

　　In Europe, the EU and Schengen countries have also successively agreed to "gradually lift" epidemic restrictions on travelers from China.

　　Among these countries, Austria has implemented the latest adjustments to the "Austria-related New Crown Epidemic Entry Regulations" since March 1. Passengers from China are no longer required to show a negative nucleic acid test certificate before boarding the plane, and no longer check the test report after arriving in Austria.

　　The Italian embassy in China has also announced that starting from March 1, passengers traveling from China to Italy do not need to show a negative antigen or nucleic acid test certificate within 48 hours, and no longer need to undergo a new coronavirus test when arriving in Italy from China.

　　As soon as the news came out, many Chinese netizens liked it, and some netizens left messages on the Weibo of the Italian National Tourism Administration, saying, "I want to go to Italy to see churches."

Data map: The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, a landmark building in Florence.

Photo by Chen Wen issued by China News Agency

　　Malta announced that starting from February 27, it will cancel the special requirements for epidemic prevention for people entering the mainland of China. When departing from China to Malta, airlines will no longer require a negative antigen test certificate within 48 hours or a negative nucleic acid test certificate within 72 hours.

　　Prior to this, France, Sweden, Switzerland and other countries have successively relaxed or canceled the temporary restrictions on people entering the country from China.

　　As the impact of the epidemic gradually dissipated, more and more people went abroad, and international travel, education, economic and trade exchanges and other personnel exchanges gradually resumed.

At the same time, many countries in the world have also adjusted corresponding policies, which not only make people's travel more convenient, but also open the door for the resumption of economic, trade and cultural exchanges between countries and the promotion of the development of relations between countries.

　　As Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, China has always believed that the epidemic prevention measures adopted by countries should be scientific and appropriate. We also expect countries to work with China to provide more convenience for the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel.

(over)