In a step towards normalising international travel, the Chinese Embassy in India has said that it would simplify visa applications for Indians if they have taken a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine. But, interestingly no China-made vaccines against coronavirus are available in India.
The embassy in a statement said the Chinese-vaccine rule was applicable for people intending to travel to China for business, work or to meet relatives.
The embassy said: "Persons and their family members going to China to carry on their employment contracts, work resumption and other relevant activities are allowed to submit their visa applications through Chinese Visa Application Service Center to Chinese Embassy or Consulates in India following the same way as before the epidemic occurred."
The embassy further added that the family members of Chinese citizens or holders of Chinese Permanent Resident’s Permit will also be allowed to submit their visa applications in the same process as before the pandemic.
Foreigners flying from India to China would be required to present the Electronic Health Declaration for boarding. For the same, they will have to fill in the information, declare the health status and upload the negative certificate of nucleic acid test and IgM antibody test, passport page, as well as valid Chinese visa, which will then be examined and verified by the Chinese Embassy or Consulates in India, the embassy added.
This comes against the backdrop of the United States, India, Australia and Japan announcing an ambitious plan to distribute vaccines in Asia. In the Quad summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, vowed to work unitedly on manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, seen as an effort to counter China's expanding vaccine diplomacy.
