China pushes back on air-travel test requirements, but Canadian firms not worried

OTTAWA — The Chinese government is unhappy that Canada and other countries are creating new COVID-19 restrictions for people flying from China, but business groups say the policy won’t impact trade.

China has had some of the strictest COVID-19 rules on the planet, including mandatory isolation for anyone coming from abroad and almost daily testing for citizens.

Beijing lifted many of these policies last month, sparking a wave of COVID-19 that American officials worry could lead to a more severe variant.

Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China to have a recent negative test, similar to the U.S. and some European countries.