As China lifts COVID-19 curbs, people should refrain from traveling unless 'absolutely necessary': Expert - CNA

He noted that there is already an uptick in vaccine tourism observed, with people travelling from China to Macau to get vaccinations that are unavailable in the mainland.

“As quarantine restrictions ease, I’m sure there will be people traveling elsewhere to try to get western mRNA vaccines,” he said.

Dr Hsu said a key step would be vaccinating as many people within China, including getting booster jabs to the elderly and vulnerable groups.

CHINA COPING WITH CASES

China's national health commission has stopped publishing daily COVID-19 data, and also narrowed its definition for reporting COVID-19 deaths, counting only those from COVID-caused pneumonia or respiratory failure.

Despite the lack of such data, Dr Hsu said there will still be reports on how the hospitals in the country are coping. Currently, the hospitals are overwhelmed.

“This has happened everywhere around the world, including in Singapore. You may remember during our Delta wave, there was an issue with the bed crunch as well,” he noted.

“China is trying to ramp up the number of hospital beds available, not just within hospitals, but in outside facilities. And there will be a need to triage patients based on how critical their illness condition is, in terms of who gets the bed space and who gets the ICU.”

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2022-12-27 10:51:00Z
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Taiwan to extend mandatory military service to one year, citing China threat - CNA

Conscripts will undergo more intense training, including shooting exercises, combat instruction used by US forces, and operating more powerful weapons including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles, Tsai said.

Tsai's security team, including high-level officials from the defence ministry and the National Security Council, have been reviewing Taiwan's military system since 2020, an official briefed on the matter told Reuters.

"As long as Taiwan is strong enough, it will be the home of democracy and freedom all over the world, and it will not become a battlefield," Tsai told a news conference announcing the decision, which she described as "incredibly difficult".

The current military system, including training reservists, is inefficient and insufficient to cope with China's rising military threat, especially if it launched a rapid attack on the island, Tsai added.

"Taiwan wants to tell the world that between democracy and dictatorship, we firmly believe in democracy. Between war and peace, we insist on peace. Let us show the courage and determination to protect our homeland and defend democracy."

Taiwan has complained of delayed US arms deliveries this year, including of Stingers, but Tsai said the situation was improving after discussions with the United States.

The de facto US embassy in Taiwan welcomed the announcement on conscription reform.

"The United States' commitment to Taiwan and steps Taiwan takes to enhance its self-defence capabilities contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region," the American Institute in Taiwan said.

Mandatory service used to be deeply unpopular in Taiwan - once a brutal military dictatorship that has since morphed into a progressive democracy.

Its previous government had reduced compulsory military service from one year to four months with the aim of creating a mainly volunteer force.

But recent polling showed more than three-quarters of the Taiwanese public now believes that is too short.

The military has also struggled to recruit and retain full-time personnel because of low financial incentives.

Tsai described the extension as "an extremely difficult decision ... to ensure the democratic way of life for our future generations".

CHINA A 'MAJOR CONCERN'

Taiwan's government says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.

"China's various unilateral behaviours have become a major concern for regional security," said an official who took part in the high-level security discussion.

Conscripts would be tasked with guarding key infrastructure, enabling regular forces to respond more swiftly in the event of any attempt by China to invade, the defence ministry said at the same press conference.

Chieh Chung, researcher at the National Policy Foundation, a Taipei-based think tank, estimated that the extension could add an extra 60,000 to 70,000 manpower annually to the current 165,000-strong professional force in 2027 and beyond.

Even after the extension, however, the period of service will still be shorter than the 18 months mandated in South Korea, which faces a hostile and nuclear-armed North Korea.

Tsai is overseeing a broad modernisation programme, championing the idea of "asymmetric warfare" to make the island's forces more mobile, agile and harder to attack.

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2022-12-27 08:35:00Z
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Planning a trip to China? Here's what you need to know ahead of Jan 8 border reopening - CNA

China will soon ease its COVID-19 entry rules, after nearly three years of strict pandemic border restrictions.

On Monday (Dec 26), the country’s National Health Commission (NHC) announced that from Jan 8, 2023, COVID-19 will be downgraded from Class A - its top tier of infectious diseases - to Class B, a class that also includes HIV, viral hepatitis and H7N9 bird flu. This means that quarantine will no longer be enforced.

If you’re planning a trip to China, here’s what you need to know.

NEW ENTRY RULES

Under the new rules, which will take effect from Jan 8, travellers will no longer be subjected to quarantine requirements. However, they will need to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test 48 hours pre-flight in order to enter the country.

Currently, all passengers arriving in China have to undergo mandatory centralised quarantine, a requirement that has been in place since March 2020.

However, the length of time has been progressively reduced, from three weeks originally to just five days at present.

It is the latest in a series of restrictions to be lifted as Beijing loosens its zero-COVID regime. Earlier this month, the Chinese government abruptly dropped mandatory testing and lockdowns.

It comes after nationwide protests last month, with the strict zero-COVID policy - now entering its fourth year - being blamed for upending ordinary life, travel and employment and dealing a harsh blow to the economy.

SHORTER LOCKDOWNS, HOME QUARANTINE

While China has since moved away from imposing sweeping lockdowns in whole neighbourhoods or cities, current guidelines stipulate that local authorities may still lock down buildings in the event that a positive case is detected.

However, snap lockdowns must be applied to more precisely identified areas, including specific buildings, units, and floors.

They must also be lifted if no new cases are found for five consecutive days.

In addition, the new guidelines also ban the blocking of fire exits and doors by officials, after 10 people died in a blaze in a sealed building in northwest China's Urumqi, sparking nationwide protests.

People infected with COVID-19 but with mild or no symptoms can now isolate at home rather than in state-managed facilities.

FEWER PCR TESTS, MASS TESTING

Many cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have removed the negative test requirements to enter public spaces such as bars, restaurants, museums and other establishments. However, PCR tests are still required in high risk areas such as healthcare, educational, and certain other institutions.

Earlier this month, Beijing and Shenzhen also declared that negative COVID-19 test results will no longer be required to ride public transport.

Mass testing is also no longer conducted in areas that are not considered “high risk”, which refers to places that have positive cases.

Since Dec 7, those travelling between regions in China are no longer required to undergo PCR tests and health code checks.

FLIGHT OPTIONS

Restrictions on international flights, such as the "Five-One" policy - a rule under which an airline can keep only one flight per week to travel to and out of China - will also be lifted but in-flight mask wearing will still be required

From Dec 30, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will reinstate its passenger service to Beijing, operating fortnightly every other Friday.

This comes nearly three years after flight services between Singapore and Beijing were suspended on March 28, 2020.

Checks by CNA on Tuesday showed that the cost of an economy ticket from Singapore to Beijing this Friday with the return flight next Tuesday was around S$4,160.

According to SIA’s flight calendar, prices for economy flights between Singapore and Beijing show a slight drop after Jan 8.

A ticket for a round trip that leaves for Beijing on Jan 13 and returns to Singapore on Jan 17 costs around S$3,335.

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2022-12-27 06:23:00Z
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Malaysia transport minister Loke tells Batik Air to apologise, take responsibility for flight delay - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has called on the management of low-cost airline Batik Air Malaysia to apologise to passengers after they were allegedly left stranded overnight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Their flight to Kuching, Sarawak was delayed for about seven hours on Thursday (Dec 22) night.

Mr Loke was responding to a complaint by one of the affected passengers who had posted a video about his ordeal on Twitter.

Responding to Mr Firdaus Jailan on the social media site, Mr Loke said that he has since contacted the management of the airline, tagging @malindoair in his tweet. Batik Air Malaysia was previously known as Malindo Air until April this year.

“(The management) will reach out to all affected passengers to apologise and take responsibility (for the incident),” Mr Loke wrote on Monday night.

Mr Firdaus had taken to social media to air his grievances following the significant flight delay and had asked Mr Loke “to do something” about the airline operator.

Mr Firdaus alleged that the airline had treated its passengers “poorly” and had not prepared them for the situation, even after he had asked ground staff members if there were going to be multiple delays that evening.

“The flight was supposed to depart at 11.30pm. When I arrived at (the check-in counter), the staff member informed me the flight would be delayed to 2am. When they told me that … they reassured me that that was going to be the only delay,” Mr Firdaus said.

He then alleged that the flight was rescheduled to 6.35am on the airport departure board, with no indication that it was the previously delayed service.

“There’s not one staff member that can be seen here,” Mr Firdaus said as he pans his camera to show passengers sleeping on the benches near the departure gate.

As of Tuesday, Mr Firdaus’ video has received more than one million views on Twitter and more than 1,300 likes.

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2022-12-27 06:12:00Z
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Chinese make travel plans as COVID-19 rules ease further - CNA

NEAR-TERM PAIN

While the world's second-largest economy is expected to see a sharp rebound later next year, once the initial shockwave of infections fades, it is in for a rough ride in the coming weeks and months as workers increasingly fall ill.

Many shops in Shanghai, Beijing and elsewhere have been forced to close in recent days with staff unable to come to work, while some factories have already sent many of their workers on leave for the late January Chinese New Year holidays.

"The concern of a temporary supply chain distortion remains as the labour force is impacted by infections," JPMorgan analysts said in a note, adding that their tracking of subway traffic in 29 Chinese cities showed that many people were restricting their movements as the virus spreads.

Data on Tuesday showed industrial profits fell 3.6 per cent in January to November from a year earlier, versus a 3.0 per cent drop for January-October, reflecting the toll of the anti-virus curbs in place last month, including in major manufacturing regions.

The lifting of travel restrictions is positive for the US$17 trillion economy, but strong caveats apply.

"International travel ... will likely surge, yet it may take many more months before volumes return to the pre-pandemic level," said Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China.

"COVID is still spreading in most parts of China, greatly disrupting the normal work schedule. Loss in productivity is significant and inflationary pressures in the coming months could be acute as the sudden spike in demand will outpace the recovery in supply."

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2022-12-27 04:19:00Z
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'Blizzard of the century' leaves nearly 50 dead across US - The Straits Times

NEW YORK - Emergency crews in New York were scrambling on Monday to rescue marooned residents from what authorities called the “blizzard of the century”, a relentless storm that has left at least 28 dead in the state and is causing US Christmas travel chaos.

Blizzard conditions continue to prevail in parts of the US north-east, the stubborn remnants of a massive sprawl of extreme weather that gripped the country over several days, causing widespread power outages, travel delays and at least 47 deaths across nine states.

In New York state, authorities have described ferocious conditions, particularly in Buffalo, with hours-long whiteouts, bodies being discovered in vehicles and under snow banks, and emergency personnel going “car to car” searching for more motorists – alive or dead.

The perfect storm of fierce snow squalls, howling wind and sub-zero temperatures forced the cancellation of more than 15,000 US flights in recent days, including at least 2,600 on Monday, according to tracking site Flightaware.com.

Buffalo – a city in Erie County that is no stranger to foul winter weather – is the epicentre of the crisis, buried under staggering amounts of snow.

“Certainly it is the blizzard of the century,” Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters, adding it was “way too early to say this is at its completion.”

Ms Hochul said some western New York towns got walloped with “30 to 40 inches (0.75 to 1 metre) of snow overnight.”

Later Monday, Ms Hochul spoke with President Joe Biden, who offered “the full force of the federal government” to support New York state, and said he and First Lady Jill Biden were praying for those who lost loved ones in the storm, according to a White House statement.

The National Weather Service forecast up to 14 more inches on Monday in addition to the several feet that have already left the city buried in snow, with officials struggling to get emergency services back online.

Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz told a press briefing he was “heartbroken” to report the blizzard-related death toll had climbed to 25 county-wide.

Mr Poloncarz said Erie’s death toll will likely surpass that of Buffalo’s infamous blizzard of 1977, when nearly 30 people died.

“We do expect that there will be more” deaths from the ongoing storm, he added.

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2022-12-26 22:48:13Z
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China to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for overseas arrivals from Jan 8 - CNA

BEIJING: China will scrap quarantine measures for overseas arrivals starting Jan 8, health authorities announced Monday (Dec 27), after nearly three years of strict pandemic border restrictions.

The National Health Commission (NHC) announced the downgraded containment measures for COVID-19 in an online notice, adding that travellers would only need a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken 48 hours pre-flight to enter China.

The announcement is the latest move by Beijing to loosen its zero-COVID regime, after it abruptly dropped mandatory testing and lockdowns earlier this month.

"According to the national health quarantine law, infectious disease quarantine measures will no longer be taken against inbound travellers and goods," the National Health Commission said.

"People must take a PCR test in the 48 hours before arriving in China," the notice said, adding that restrictions limiting the number of international flights will also be abolished.

The measures will take effect from Jan 8, when COVID-19 will be downgraded from the top tier of infectious diseases, Class A, to a second tier Class B, the NHC said in a separate notice Monday.

Unlike most of the rest of the world where people have transitioned to living with the pandemic, China had until recently maintained harsh restrictions and largely sealed itself off.

Since March 2020, all passengers arriving in the country had to undergo at least two weeks of mandatory centralised quarantine, later increased to three weeks.

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2022-12-26 15:34:00Z
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