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China will loosen its COVID-19 restrictions around international travelers entering the country today.

Travelers may now present a negative COVID-19 antigen test or PCR test taken 48 hours before boarding flights to China to enter. The change marks a continued end to China’s Zero COVID policy, and an adoption of the “Living with COVID-19” approach.

Easing COVID-19 requirements have opened the door for Chinese diaspora, business, educational, and tourism travel to recover; however, the speed at which requirements have changed has complicated a full return to normalcy. Since China suddenly dismantled its COVID-19 tracking apparatus following nationwide protests, the nation has been scrambling to restart its economy and society without information systems which dictated everything from the ability to leave your home to ordering food throughout the pandemic.

Expect the COVID-19 testing requirement to change little in practice. Airfare remains inaccessibly high for most travelers, and Chinese authorities have generally stopped checking COVID tests. Still, stronger Q3-Q4 economic growth will likely result from continued loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, which will further facilitate necessary business travel and essential labor migration practices throughout China. Nevertheless, the human cost of continued COVID-19 cases during this increased economic activity will be unknown without sufficient testing and documentation methods in place.