Beijing quarantine

Increasingly COVID-19 closing doors worldwide. Beijing had exempted some foreigners from the 14 day quarantine. We calculated the pandemic was spreading in Europe so we decided it was best my wife quickly returned from Brussels – considered not to be a risk country – to Beijing. No real quarantine for her while she does avoid going around. That door seems to be closing very soon, any moment now anybody entering China will face the quarantine. China not mentioning it was the first to vehemently oppose travel restrictions…
Obviously that will not help the economy to return to any “normal” situation.

Read the China Daily editorial of 6 March 2020:
“Risks of reverse current virus spread highlight importance of coordination: China Daily editorial”
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/05/WS5e60de5ba31012821727cac7.html

I quote:
“Thus, it is strongly suggested that the country should consider expanding its 14-day quarantine requirements from those having recent traveling experience in the four worst hit countries — the Republic of Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy — to all visitors coming from outside, including Chinese nationals. … As such, although the country remains open to those from outside, a no-one-should-be-omitted 14-day quarantine should be imposed on all those wanting to enter the country. While this will drive up the administrative costs given the still sizable population flow into the country each day, it should be adopted immediately to plug the obvious loopholes to help the country to defend itself against the virus and thwart the cross-border spread of the virus.”

You are warned.

Online Health Declaration for entry/exit China

See this article with instructions on how to fill out in advance the form.
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OZFhA6Uxa5lb5fSFU8qmTw

Be aware you need to be able to scan the QR code.
See some screenshots, go to the site for the full introduction.

 

Cheap airline tickets?

Chinese airlines offer dirt cheap tickets to fly. Now who would use them? It makes no sense, wherever you go, or return to Beijing you face quarantine.
Few people seem to understand the enormous difficulty to do any business now in China as practically speaking you can’t travel to any place. If you do Beijing – Tianjin and you return then you face 2 weeks quarantine.
Yes you can do ZOOM, SKYPE and other. Some people need to travel to SIGN contracts. Or visit notary and alike.

Alipay and Wechat health apps

As I mentioned, I could not do any of those. While I still believe the WeChat one is only for Chinese ID, I got some valuable feedback, see here. I will try this again but with a Chinese friend (who is a bit of a specialist in those things) as there is always Chinese stuff popping up, and difficult fields to fill in. In my case I never know, is it my passport or my Green card, etc. I don’t want to do something wrong. The same friend had set up my WeChat, Alipay and Taobao so she is familiar with my “problems”.

“FOREIGNERS GUIDE TO ACCESSING HEALTH QR CODE”
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/rTxr5qqWl5699B1CHyUBiQ

See some screenshots from that link and screenshot of my mobile (the last step I did before stopping).

We were initially looking in Alipay for another link (“Alipay Health Code”) and that one did not work for me. That link is talked about but … does not appear directly within Alipay. Talking about confusing. I keep you posted. Any tip is welcome.

Trends wrote yesterday:

Volvo top guy Geert Bruyneel: “Economists in Europe have underestimated the impact of the coronavirus.”
I think not only Europe, but worldwide… I clearly agree with him since the early days.

Volvo-topman Geert Bruyneel: ‘Economen in Europa hebben de impact van het coronavirus onderschat’
Geert Bruyneel is het wereldwijde hoofd van de Volvo-fabrieken. In januari zat hij twee weken in quarantaine, na een verblijf in China. “Onze Chinese fabrieken krabbelen weer overeind. De economen in Europa hebben de situatie toch wat onderschat. Voor mij was al langer duidelijk dat het coronavirus een aanzienlijke impact op de economie zal hebben.”

Have a nice weekend

Thanks to all for reading. Some people read half or even less then start screaming I am wrong. Attention span today is VERY short. So many superficial and ignorant people.

Oh well. Will try to have a relaxed weekend with my birds coming to look for me every morning, waiting for their food. And I talk to myself a little.
Also, a new Hongkong outfit for the Metro. Chinese paranoia at its best. I prefer also an alternative use for masks.
Enjoy virus weekend. And good luck to our American friends, they are blessed with a great genius leader, a bit like the one in DPRK.