China to drop Covid-19 antigen test requirement for inbound travelers

By Hoang Vu August 29, 2023 | 12:44 am PT

Chinese tourists walk in front of the skyline of buildings at Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, China, May 2, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Travelers arriving in China will no longer need a pre-departure antigen test for Covid-19 from Aug. 30 as China seeks to revive its tourism industry, China's Foreign Ministry announced. 

The move is considered an important milestone in China's post-pandemic reopening and aims to attract more international visitors, AP reported.

Before the pandemic, China welcomed more than 136 million visitors. Currently, the number of visitors is only 20% compared to 2019.

The requirement for antigen Covid-19 testing was applied by China in April, replacing the previous PCR test method. Antigen test results are only accepted within 48 hours. 

In January, China ended quarantine requirements for its citizens from traveling abroad in an effort to reopen its economy after years of strict anti-pandemic policy.

China has traditionally been Vietnam's largest tourism partner. In 2019 some 5.8 million Chinese had visited the country, accounting for nearly a third of all international arrivals.

Since March 15, China allowed its citizens to go on outbound tours to Vietnam. 