SINGAPORE – The rules have been set for essential business travel between Singapore and China, as part of plans to slowly ease restrictions on flights and resume trade amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Under the Singapore-China “fast lane” agreement, which will start on June 8, travellers on both sides will be exempt from rules that require everyone else to serve quarantine periods of up to 14 days, the Singapore Government said on Wednesday (June 3).

But they must first agree to be tested and bear the costs. If they are found to be infected with Covid-19 upon landing in Singapore or China, they will be hospitalised and will have to pay for their own treatment.

For a start, the new scheme will apply only for business and official travel, for flights between Singapore and six provinces in China: Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Travellers will have to jump through several hoops before getting onto a flight.

An application must first be submitted to the relevant authorities and come with a letter of sponsorship from a business organisation or government entity.

Travellers must also submit an itinerary that must be adhered to.

Before the actual flight, travellers from China must do a Covid-19 swab test 48 hours before departure, and another swab test when they land at Changi Airport.

Similar rules will apply to Singapore travellers going to China.

There will also be a limit on the number of people who have their trips approved.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a joint statement that the move to pilot fast lane arrangements with other countries comes in conjunction with the country’s move towards reopening after the circuit breaker period.

The statement said: “This is part of Singapore’s gradual reopening of our borders for Singaporeans and residents to conduct essential activities overseas and to allow safe travel for foreigners entering Singapore in limited numbers, with the necessary safeguards in place to ensure public health considerations are addressed.”

Currently, China is only allowing each Singapore carrier to fly to one city in China once a week. Singapore Airlines now flies to Shanghai, Scoot to Guangzhou and Silkair to Chongqing.

There are currently no flights to the capital city Beijing.

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing had last week said that similar travel discussions were ongoing with other countries including South Korea, New Zealand and Malaysia.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the task force to combat Covid-19, said more recently that discussions to resume travel within Asean or even a broader bloc within Asia should take place in time to come.

Read the latest on the Covid-19 situation in Singapore and beyond on our dedicated site here.

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