中国、自国製ワクチン接種を条件に入国規制緩和の方針

【北京ＡＦＰ＝時事】中国は16日までに、自国製の新型コロナウイルスワクチンの接種を条件に、米国やインド、オーストラリアなどからの入国規制を緩和する方針を示した。（写真は資料写真）
　中国は昨年３月以降、外国人の入国をほとんど認めておらず、同国に家族や仕事を残した大勢の外国人が中国に入れない状況が続いてきた。
　しかし複数の国にある中国大使館がこれまでに、中国製ワクチンの接種を受けた人を優遇するビザ（査証）申請の受け付けを開始する方針を発表した。
　在米中国大使館は１５日付で、「中国製の新型コロナウイルスワクチンの接種を受けたビザ申請者」への手続きを開始すると発表。オーストラリア、インド、パキスタン、フィリピン、イタリア、スリランカにある大使館も同様の通知を出している。
　在米中国大使館の通知には、２回の接種を終えた人、あるいはビザ申請の少なくとも１４日前に１回目を終えた人が対象になると記されている。一方で、中国入国後の最長３週間の隔離は引き続き義務付けられる。
　中国は国民へのワクチン接種を進めているが、同国が承認したワクチンはいずれも中国製の４種で、外国製ワクチンはまだ承認に至っていない。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/03/17-13:40）

China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners -- including from the US, India and Pakistan -- back in, provided they have taken a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine.
The country has been closed to most foreigners since last March to stem the spread of coronavirus which it has largely brought under control at home, stranding many foreigners with jobs and family inside China overseas.
But Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa applications to select people who have taken a China-made jab.
The Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement dated Monday that it would begin to process visa applicants inoculated with Chinese Covid-19 vaccines.
This would apply from this week to those visiting the Chinese mainland for work resumption, business travel, or for humanitarian needs, such as reuniting with family members.
Beijing is driving forward its inoculation plan for its vast domestic population with four domestically produced vaccines approved so far. But it has yet to approve any foreign-made jabs.
China has also shipped its vaccines overseas as it works to blunt foreign criticism of the initial spread of the virus from its shores.
The embassy statement said this applied to those who had either had two doses of the vaccine or a single-dose at least 14 days before applying for the visa.
Chinese embassies in other countries including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Italy and Sri Lanka have published similar statements.
Those arriving in China will still have to face a gruelling quarantine of up to three weeks.
China's vaccines have been rolled out in several countries around the world, including Turkey, Indonesia and Cambodia.
The Philippines received 600,000 vaccine doses from China two weeks ago, kickstarting its inoculation drive.
But they are not readily available everywhere, including in India or Sri Lanka.
And Beijing has struggled to gain international trust for its vaccine candidates, hindered by a lack of transparency on test results.
But Chinese companies are still set to export nearly 400 million doses of home-grown vaccines overseas, state media has reported.