The UK says it is acting over concerns about infection data provided by the Chinese government.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe UK is set to announce that passengers coming from China will have to provide a negative Covid test before they travel to Britain.
The UK has become the latest nation to bring in screening for travellers from China after cases surged following Beijing’s decision to relax its zero-Covid policy.
China has said it will fully reopen its borders on 8 January.
Several countries, including the US and India, are also bringing in testing.
It is understood the UK will demand a negative test before travellers can board a flight from mainland China – bringing Britain into line with the approach taken by the US.
While the announcement has not yet been formally made, the UK defence secretary confirmed on Friday that the government was reviewing the need for testing for passengers from China.
Asked whether the government would consider restrictions, Ben Wallace said: “The government is looking at that, it’s under review, we noticed obviously what the US has done and India and I think Italy has looked at it.”
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was “understandable” that some countries were imposing these fresh restrictions.
But China’s foreign ministry said earlier this week that its “epidemic situation” overall was “predictable and under control”.
The true toll of daily cases and deaths in China is unknown as officials have stopped requiring cases to be reported, and changed classifications for Covid death.
Spain, Israel and South Korea also announced on Friday that they will introduce testing requirements in response to the increasing number of infections in China.
But not all countries have announced additional controls. Germany has joined Australia, France, and Portugal in saying there will be no new rules yet.