Getting into Beijing has become increasingly difficult as China intensifies its zero-Covid policies

Beijing is imposing partial lockdowns to contain a Covid outbreak that threatens to completely close down the city. While the government tightens controls – testing 21 million residents, closing schools, and shutting down shopping malls – I'm attempting to enter.

Flights from Tokyo to Beijing this week were nearly impossible to find – the nearest available flight was to Kunming, in southern Yunnan province, about 1,600 miles (2,600 kilometers) away. I'll have to quarantine there for 21 days, with no certainty that I'll be permitted entry into Beijing.

China’s early pandemic strategy of strict border controls, sudden lockdowns, and mass testing helped contain Covid-19, but the rapidly spreading Omicron variant is proving to be a far greater challenge.

Since mid-December, China’s average daily case count has skyrocketed from the low double digits to over 20,000. At least 27 cities nationwide are under full or partial lockdown, affecting approximately 180 million people, based on Dinogo's estimates.

Some of the harshest restrictions are being enforced in Shanghai, China’s financial hub, where many of its 25 million residents have been locked inside their residential areas for over a month. This has sparked widespread frustration, which is spilling over onto China's tightly controlled internet.

Government censors are struggling to control the flood of anger over food shortages, lack of medical care, and the poor conditions in makeshift quarantine centers for those testing positive. Protests have erupted – a rare occurrence in China’s authoritarian regime – with residents clashing with the authorities.

Beijing's case count remains relatively low compared to Shanghai – only 34 new cases were reported in the capital on Friday, bringing the total to 228 for this outbreak.

However, China is taking no risks as it tries to prevent the virus from spreading within its political center.

Entering China

My trip into China this week was more difficult than my February visit to Beijing for the Winter Olympics, which were held under the world’s strictest Covid precautions. At that time, athletes, officials, and media were kept apart from the general public by a complex system of barriers, quarantine protocols, and frequent Covid tests.

To enter China now, I had to present three negative PCR tests from government-certified clinics taken within seven days of departure, followed by two more tests within 48 hours of my flight.

Onboard the flight, all the crew members were dressed in hazmat suits, as were the staff at Kunming Airport. Once we landed, all passengers were immediately directed to take another Covid test, which involved an uncomfortable nasal and throat swab.

The majority of passengers on my flight seemed to be Chinese nationals.

Foreigners can only enter under very strict conditions, and it's particularly difficult for American journalists to obtain a Chinese visa due to the tense US-China relations. After a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November, both nations agreed to ease visa restrictions for journalists. I was granted a visa earlier this year after multiple rounds of interviews.

However, when I presented my American passport, the immigration officer took a long time flipping through the pages, then called over a group of workers wearing hazmat suits with 'police' written on them. I seemed to be the only passenger singled out from the flight.

They escorted me to a private room for questioning. After a long police interrogation about my professional and personal background, I was finally allowed to proceed through immigration and customs.

Once I passed immigration, I struck up a conversation with a man standing next to me while waiting for the bus to the quarantine hotel. He was from Shanghai but had been living in Japan for the past 30 years. He hadn’t returned to China since the pandemic began but decided the 21-day quarantine was worth it to visit his elderly mother in Shanghai. Unfortunately, the city is currently under a weeks-long Covid lockdown, so his only choice was to fly to Yunnan and wait until the situation improved.

On Friday, China's National Health Commission reported that the 'zero Covid-19 policy' has begun to show positive effects in Shanghai, with a nationwide decline in cases.

21 days of quarantine at a hotel.

Every seat on the bus was occupied, and our bags were stacked in the aisles. Through the bus window, I watched Kunming, a city with a population of 6.6 million, fade into the night, its buildings and highways lit up by bright lights.

After a two-to-three-hour drive, we finally reached our quarantine destination: a hot spring resort repurposed as a quarantine center. Hazmat-clad workers guided me to my designated room.

The following morning, I discovered that my room offered a stunning view of Kunming, with its vast expanse of green trees and mountains lining the horizon. Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, is a well-known tourist hotspot, famous for its scenic landscapes and tea-growing regions.

There’s a balcony, though stepping outside is prohibited. Still, I appreciate the view and, more importantly, the ability to open the window for fresh air — a luxury not allowed in all quarantine facilities.

I’m only allowed to open my door for health checks and meal deliveries. I receive two temperature checks each day, as well as regular Covid tests, sometimes up to twice a day.

Food deliveries are not permitted, but meals are provided as part of the quarantine package, which varies depending on the hotel assigned to you — and there’s no option to choose the location.

Meals are delivered in plastic containers and placed outside my door three times daily – usually consisting of rice, soup, and a mix of stir-fried meats and vegetables. To supplement, I’ve been snacking on supplies I brought from Tokyo, after hearing about the less-than-stellar food at quarantine hotels. Fortunately, I don’t mind what’s served here.

My room lacks a refrigerator, microwave, or laundry services. I’ve been provided with only a single towel for the entire 21-day stay. To stay active, I packed a yoga mat, jump rope, and weights. Despite the hot weather—around 85°F (30°C)—the hotel refuses to turn on the air conditioning due to concerns over Covid transmission.

Even if I continue to test negative, there’s no guarantee I’ll make it to Beijing. If the city goes into a full lockdown, all flights will likely be canceled.

Before the recent outbreak, travelers arriving from regions of China considered ‘high risk’ had to spend an additional 14 days in government quarantine in Beijing. Thankfully, Yunnan isn’t classified as high risk at the moment. Domestic travelers from lower-risk areas only need to spend at least seven days in home quarantine for health monitoring.

China’s government has reinforced the zero-Covid strategy, arguing that it has helped the country avoid the high death toll seen elsewhere and has bought crucial time to vaccinate vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children.

‘If we abandon the Covid control measures, a large portion of the population would be infected, leading to a surge in critical cases and deaths, potentially overwhelming the healthcare system,’ said Li Bin, Vice Director of the National Health Commission, on Friday.

However, many critics argue that the policy is driven more by political motives than by science.

President Xi has personally endorsed the ‘zero-Covid’ approach, with officials often citing the country’s low death rate as evidence of China’s system being more effective than Western models, where restrictions have been loosened in response to increasing vaccination rates.

However, in China, there’s no indication of any shift, and the public is becoming increasingly exhausted by the ongoing situation.

In the third year of the pandemic, China remains adamant about not coexisting with Covid. Every case is treated as unacceptable, no matter the consequences.