Since China closed its borders in March 2020, travel into the country has been exclusive to Chinese citizens or holders of specific visas, with scarce flight options and extensive quarantines adding even further limitations. In fall of 2021, Mei Zhang and Min Fan traveled from the US to China, one holding a Chinese passport and one a US passport with a specially-issued humanitarian visa. They’ve come together to share their experiences and shed light on the multitude of steps and processes required when traveling to China during Covid-19.

Speakers for “Traveling to China During Covid-19”

Mei Zhang

Mei is a native of Yunnan province in southwest China. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked for McKinsey & Company until she found her true passion in sustainable travel. Mei is an Aspen Institute China Fellow and currently serves as a member of Harvard Business School’s Alumni Board. While serving as a consultant to The Nature Conservancy, Mei witnessed the push and pull between economic development and conservation of both nature and culture in Yunnan.

She strongly believed that there was a for-profit solution to this – providing sophisticated interpretation of Chinese culture and nature through experiential travel. This revolutionary concept led to the creation of WildChina in 2000.

Min Fan

Min Fan serves as the Executive Director of the United States Heartland China Association (USHCA), a 501(c)3 grassroot bipartisan organization committed to building bridges and
promoting opportunities between the Heartland region and China, and is also a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations. Prior to joining USHCA, Min had a successful career as an innovation leader in the corporate world and led nonprofit organizations with a focus on promoting understanding between the U.S. and China. As the Executive Director of USHCA, Min is responsible for strategic direction and execution of this growing nonprofit, which is becoming a unique voice in the US-China relations space.