Travelers enter a terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport to take flights on Thursday as some restrictions for travel were eased. CUI JUN/FOR CHINA DAILY

China will scrap the quarantine requirement for international arrivals starting January 8, 2023, the country's National Health Commission said in a statement on Dec 26.

NHC said passengers traveling to China need to take nucleic acid test within 48 hours before boarding their flights to China, adding that nucleic acid screenings and centralized isolation after arrival will be canceled.

"In light of the international epidemic situation and service capacity, the outbound travel of Chinese citizens will be resumed in an orderly manner," NHC said.

In addition, NHC noted that China has renamed the novel coronavirus pneumonia as novel coronavirus infection.

China will also downgrade management of the disease from Class A to Class B in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Disease, starting January 8, the statement added.