BEIJING, China — China has eased some of its COVID-related restrictions, announcing new rules that would make it easier for the country to host international trade shows.
“It is encouraging to finally see an easing of China’s very strict COVID travel restrictions. This is certainly a step in the right direction and I hope it marks the start of a steady process of removing restrictions that will get us back to something close to normal,” said Paul Woodward, the company’s chairman. Advisor Paul Woodward who has worked in media and trade shows in China for almost 40 years.
The new rules are among 20 measures announced at the first meeting of the ruling Communist Party’s new governing body and aim to improve China’s COVID control policies and make them less restrictive.
“Any improvement in reducing quarantine days in China is welcome. Hopefully, China will continue this reduction as soon as possible as it attempts to return to normal,” said Michael Duck, EExecutive Vice President, Business Development, Information markets.
Related: China’s trade show industry tries to stay optimistic
Several of the new measures are of particular interest to trade fair organisers. The suspension of international flights due to the detection of infected passengers will be lifted. For incoming international travellers, the requirement to take a COVID test before departure has been reduced to one test every 48 hours, compared to two previously.
The quarantine period for travelers entering China and close contacts is reduced by two days. But international travelers who do not have a permanent address in China will still have to complete a total of eight days of hotel quarantine. Travelers will have to isolate for five days in a hotel or a specialized government facility and an additional three days at their place of residence.
“But even with less stringent quarantine and testing requirements, it is still likely that very few international business people will travel in and out of China to attend trade shows or other business meetings,” Woodward said. “We may, however, see a recovery in exhibition activity in China and I have already spoken to organisers who have seen a marked increase in bookings for 2023 at overseas shows, particularly in South-East Asia.”
The new rules are a significant shift in President Xi Jinping’s “zero Covid” policy. China is the last major economy to stick with the strategy of trying to contain the virus through measures such as lockdowns and quarantines.
“China’s new COVID-19 relief measures are timely and should help revive the trade show industry in China by February or March 2023,” said Michael Kruppe, Managing Director of Shanghai New International Expo Center Co., Ltd“I expect the measures to be further relaxed, which would provide a big boost to the reopening of trade shows. More importantly, it would make it easier for international exhibitors and visitors to travel to attend trade shows in China.”
China’s “zero COVID” policy has contributed to the country’s economic woes this year, shaking consumer and business confidence as the population is stuck in a cycle of outbreaks, lockdowns and testing. In announcing the new rules, the party’s Politburo Standing Committee stressed the need to minimize the impact of China’s “zero COVID” measures on the economy without easing its epidemic crackdown.
“It is significant that this announcement came after social pressure had massively increased on the government due to a much higher than expected unemployment rate, which reached 20% among the younger generation, and a significant decline in China’s GDP,” Kruppe said.
The long-awaited announcement did not explicitly mention when the changes will take effect, however, meaning considerable uncertainty remains over whether these are China’s first steps toward permanently abandoning all COVID controls, or simply the country’s new indefinite posture, which remains the most restrictive approach to virus control in the world.
“China’s zero COVID policy remains the same, but it will monitor reductions in a measured manner,” Duck said. “Recall that fairs have been held in China in recent weeks in Chengdu, Shenzhen and Shanghai, where the China International Import Expo was held.”
But Woodward still advises show organizers to exercise caution. “I expect this situation to persist through the first half of 2023. My most optimistic hope at the moment is that things start to improve in the second quarter, with the hope of a relatively normal, albeit mostly domestic, show calendar in the second half of next year. But we’ve said that before and no one is going to bet big on that right now,” Woodward said.
Contact Paul Woodward at pw@paulwoodward.com; Michael Duck at michael.Duck@informa.com; Michael Kruppe at michael.kruppe@sniec.net