China has vowed to keep border restrictions in place until at least mid-2022. Currently, the travel of inbound passengers on GA aircraft is suspended unless the approval can be secured from the Foreign Affairs Office of the State Council.
While there was positive news in July regarding certain travelers being allowed to visit Phuket in Thailand, the rest of the country has remained restricted to most foreign nationals. Some requirements for those permitted entry to Phuket are that they must be fully vaccinated, must have spent 21 days or more in countries designated low-to-medium risk, and undergo periodic COVID testing while in Phuket.
While approximately 70% of the population has been fully vaccinated in Singapore, border restrictions are also still in full force. Inbound travel into Singapore is still largely only permitted for Singaporean citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders.
While tech stops are generally allowed in many Asia/Pacific countries, checking the latest restrictions and rules is necessary. For example, countries like Indonesia allow tech stops but still require a PCR/swab test for all crew taken within 72 hours of arrival. Meanwhile, other countries have specific restrictions for tech stops in place. One such country is Malaysia, where they have temporary rules for all aircraft arriving from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Countries such as Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam have recently put stricter measures for their citizens due to rising infection rates. Due to these tighter domestic measures, it is unlikely that border restrictions will ease in these locations in the short term. The restrictions for these countries are similar in that most foreign travelers are not allowed entry without government permission or are subjected to lengthy quarantine requirements.
