Customs to cancel COVID-19 data requirement for overseas travelers

China's customs authority said on Thursday that overseas travelers will no longer need to submit information about their COVID-19 nucleic acid test results, previous infection history and vaccination dates when going through customs.

The General Administration of Customs said the new rule will take effect on Aug 31.

In a statement released on Friday, it said that the change is not a relaxation of disease control requirements, but is aimed at increasing the efficiency of health declaration efforts at customs.

It added that inbound visitors will still need to provide negative test results before boarding as per local requirements and will undergo centralized isolation and health monitoring upon arrival.