China says Covid rules on national travellers abroad 'unacceptable', warns countries of 'countermeasures'

Beijing: China condemned mandatory Covid-19 test requirements by around a dozen countries on passengers travelling abroad from its territory and warned that the decision could take “countermeasures” in response.

The United States, India, Canada, France and Japan are among a number of countries that now require travellers from China to show a negative Covid test before arrival, as the Asian nation battles massive surge in coronavirus cases.

“Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting only Chinese travellers,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told at a media briefing.

“This lacks scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable,” she added, warning China could “take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity”.

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After the Xi Jinping administration abruptly relaxed some of stringent restrictions under its ‘zero-Covid’ in December last year,  China has been witnessing a steep rise in new coronavirus infections.  Hospitals in the country are overwhelmed, mortuary are piled with bodies and long queues are seen in crematoriums with families waiting to perform last rites of their loved ones.

In late December, Beijing said inbound travellers would no longer be required to quarantine, sending many Chinese people rushing to plan long-awaited trips abroad.

Countries have cited China’s lack of transparency around infection data and the risk of new variants emerging as reasons to restrict travellers.

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China recorded only 22 Covid deaths since December, after dramatically narrowing the criteria for classifying such deaths.

Countries that have imposed curbs on travellers from China

Australia

Travellers from China visiting Australia will have to submit a negative Covid-19 test from 5 January.

Canada

Chinese traveller to Canada must test negative for Covid-19 no more than two days before departure, Ottawa has announced.

Morocco

A ban has been imposed on people arriving in Morocco from China, irrespective of their nationality, from 3 January to avert any new wave of coronavirus infections.

India

Travellers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Thailand arriving in India have to mandatorily furnish a Covid-19 negative test report. Passengers from these countries will be quarantined if they show symptoms or test positive.

United States

From 5 January, the US will impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China. All air passengers will require a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau.

Britain

The UK has asked for a compulsory pre-departure negative Covid-19 test from passengers from China as of 5 January.

France

Travellers from China arriving France will have to provide a negative Covid test result less than 48 hours before departure. France, from 1 January, has also started carrying out random PCR Covid tests upon arrival on some travellers coming from China.

Italy

Italy has ordered Covid-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for travellers visiting from China. Malpensa, Milan’s main airport, has already started screeing passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai.

Also Read: China Covid surge puts world on alert: Canada, Australia, Morocco impose restrictions on Chinese travellers  

Japan

Japan has asked for a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival for travellers from mainland China. Those who test positive will be required to quarantine for seven days. The government will also limit requests from airlines to increase flights to China.

Spain

The Spain government has said that travellers from China will have to furnish a negative Covid-19 test report or a full course of vaccination against the disease upon arrival.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, all inbound travellers for fever and test wastewater from aircraft arriving from China will be screened for Covid-19.

Taiwan

Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Centre said all passengers on direct flights from China and by boat at two offshore islands will have to take PCR tests upon arrival.

South Korea

Travellers from China visiting South Korea will have to provide negative Covid test results before departure.

With inputs from agencies

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