Taiwan Wednesday said it planned to relax controls on some foreign business visitors coming to the island from countries that have made headway against the coronavirus pandemic including New Zealand, Australia and Thailand.
Despite its close proximity and trade links with China, Taiwan has contained its own outbreak to just 445 cases, including seven deaths.
Thanks to strict arrival controls and efficient trace and testing programmes it has recorded no local infections for 66 days straight.
From June 22, the self-quarantine period from 14 places deemed “low risk” including Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Thailand will be shortened from two weeks to five days for short-term business visitors
“Mid-to-low risk” countries including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore will have their quarantine periods cut to seven days, according to the government.
“Today we announce some relaxations to facilitate out-of-border business activities to start as soon as possible,” health minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters.
The government will monitor the situation to decide whether to further relax controls, he added.
Visitors will need to provide proof of being tested negative for Covid-19 up to three days before departure and have no other travel history in the last two weeks.
They also have to test negative at the end of their shortened quarantine period before they can conduct business activities.
Business visitors who want to stay in Taiwan for more than three months still must undergo a full 14-day quarantine.
The government will also allow over 2,000 foreign, Hong Kong and Macau students to return to study as part of the new measures.
Taiwan avoided any large scale lockdowns and started relaxing controls on domestic travel and social gatherings earlier this month.
