MNI BRIEF: China Debates Cutting Quarantine Time -Media Report

China is considering cutting the mandatory quarantine period for people coming into the country, according to a report by Bloomberg News citing unnamed sources.

Bureaucrats are debating a possible relaxation of the quarantine period to two days in a hotel and then five days at home, compared to the current rule of seven days confined to a hotel room following another three days at home. Markets rallied on the news as traders look for any signs of an easing in China's Covid policies. (See CHINA : China Debating Covid Quarantine Shifts, Risk Bounce Has Limited Follow Through)

There have been expectations that some loosening of Covid restrictions could happen after the country’s 20th National Congress, which is being held in Beijing this week. However, the repeated praising by officials of China’s dynamic zero-Covid policy in ensuring stability seemed to signal there would be no immediate relaxation. Meanwhile, infections in Beijing swelled to the highest in four months on Tuesday, with 42 local cases reported.

One bright spot is that airline companies have proposed new international routes or increased the frequency of existing international flights. On Monday, Eastern Airlines said it planned to increase its international routes to 42 with 108 flights per week, compared to 25 routes with 54 flights in early October, Caixin reported.