Dear Members and Friends

2022 came to an end – and the events of the past 12 months are securing a prominent place in the history books. Last month saw dramatic changes in China in terms of pandemic policy. Almost all restrictions have been relaxed, and travel to and from China is possible as early as January 8, 2023.

While this is a welcome development, there are still too few flights from Europe or Switzerland to China. Air China will resume flights from Geneva to Beijing in January 2023, while Swiss Airlines is reviewing the situation and will decide in the first quarter of 2023 when to resume flights from Switzerland to China. As the border between Hong Kong and mainland China is expected to open on January 8, 2023, Swiss Airlines flights to Hong Kong can be used for travel to Greater China in the meantime.

When traveling to China, travelers must present a negative PCR test conducted within 48 hours prior to departure. The visa required to enter China will be issued for business, educational and family travel; tourism visas will not be issued as of now. For more information, please contact the Chinese consulates and visa centers.

Therefore, business trips are now possible again, and visits to companies, customers, and partners based in China are almost as possible as before the pandemic. This also applies to delegations from China to Switzerland and Europe. Many of you have already contacted us about delegations wishing to visit Switzerland.

With Chinese New Year (CNY) starting as early as January 22, 2023 this year, we expect most travel to and from China to start in early February after the Lantern Festival on February 5, 2023.

As almost all restrictions have been relaxed, the number of cases in mainland China has increased dramatically in December 2022. All of you who have relatives, friends, and contacts have witnessed the concerns of Chinese citizens about these developments. The questions we asked in the December 2022 newsletter were spot on, the shortage of ICUs and medicines became obvious. The Chinese healthcare system needs to learn its lessons to prepare for the next wave of a viral outbreak; regulations in this regard could change and provide new business opportunities for companies specializing in this sector.

At the same time, we found that many who contracted the virus had no symptoms or only mild symptoms. Given the actual number of infections in China and the recent change in definition or reported pandemic-related deaths, many countries are now requiring negative Covid tests for those entering the country from China.

2023 is one of those rare years when the CNY falls within a few weeks of the start of the calendar year. Therefore, in this newsletter, we wish you not only a good start to the new year, but also a good start to the Year of the Water Rabbit. May you be blessed with good health, business fortune and happy family reunions. We believe that especially the family reunions after 3 years of pandemic regulations will be greatly appreciated by many of you.

The next newsletter will be published in February 2023 with an update on the health situation in mainland China, travel requirements, and an outlook on the Year of the Rabbit. Until then, we wish you a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous CNY season.

Kind regards

Lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn.

Just as distance tests a horse’s strength, time can reveal a person’s heart.（ Time will reveal the true nature of humans.）