Several Embassies made a statement, and others are expected to follow soon that “Starting from 00:00 on August 24, 2022, holders of valid APEC Business Travel Cards will be allowed to enter China”.
At the time of posting, the statement was available on the following websites:
APEC Business Travel Cards are travel documents issued to business travelers who are citizens of APEC countries. Valid for five years, the card eliminates the need for its holder to possess a visa when visiting other APEC participating economies as long as pre-clearance has been obtained during the application process.
Returning to China from overseas is still a challenge and you will need to quarantine upon arrival. Having a valid visa and booking a flight (not to mention an affordable ticket) seem to be the biggest issues, although there are a lot of other barriers. A list of flights to China is available here!
This positive change follows that of students from India and several other countries holding a valid Chinese study permit being allowed to enter China without having to apply for new visas.