The White House is ready to quietly reverse rules demanding travelers from China test for coronavirus before entry to the United States, a report Wednesday suggests.
The Associated Press reports the Biden the administration has decided to roll back the testing requirements as Wuhan virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths are declining in China and the U.S. has gathered better information about the recent surge.
Beginning January 5, travelers arriving from China by air had to provide a negative coronavirus test to enter the nation “within two days of their departure from airports in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau,” as Breitbart News reported.
The targeted testing regime began in the wake of President Joe Biden claiming in 2020 former President Donald Trump’s coronavirus response was “fanning the flames” of “hate, fear and xenophobia” against Asian Americans during the pandemic.
At the time, U.S. officials also said the coronavirus testing regime was necessary to protect U.S. citizens and communities because there was a lack of transparency from the Chinese government about the size of the surge or the variants that were circulating within China.
China lashed out at the entry restrictions saying Wuhan virus control measures needed to be “proportionate” and “science-based” before warning of possible “countermeasures.”
The display of public indignation came just 24-hours after Chinese state media criticized requirements for a pre-departure coronavirus virus test and evidence of a negative result as “discriminatory” and “xenophobic,” as Breitbart News reported.
Earlier Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned Beijing and Washington were headed for “conflict and confrontation” if the U.S. doesn’t change course and tone down its public language against the communist regime.