Coronavirus: China extends ban on foreign visitors to eight more countries, including India, France and Russia
- Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Italy, Nigeria and Ukraine also join Britain, Belgium and the Philippines on temporary blacklist
- Restrictions come after 23 passengers on a flight from New Delhi to Wuhan test positive for Covid-19
The statements said the suspensions were a “temporary response necessitated by the current situation of Covid-19”.
China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday the ruling was based on the changing epidemic situation in the countries involved, and described the move as “reasonable and in line with international practices”.
The restriction would apply regardless of whether people held valid visas or residence permits, but members of the diplomatic service and international transport workers, like airline crews, would be exempt, the statements said.
Authorities in Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected late last year, said this week that 23 passengers on a direct flight from New Delhi that arrived in the city on October 30 had tested positive for Covid-19.
More than 250 other passengers who had travelled on the flight had been placed in quarantine, the municipal health commission said. It did not give a breakdown of their nationalities.
India has reported more than 8.4 million coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic and close to 125,000 deaths.
On Thursday, a Chinese airline passenger who transited through Beijing airport en route from Sweden to her home in Hubei province was also confirmed as being infected. Health authorities in Beijing said the woman and all those she had travelled with on the aircraft and in transit vehicles had been put in collective quarantine.
The Beijing health commission said on its website that the “epidemic situation abroad is still in a high-incidence situation, and imported confirmed cases occur from time to time”.
It advised Beijingers not to leave the country, but if their trip was essential they should opt for a direct flight to reduce the risk of infection while in transit.
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The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said it was deeply concerned about the return of visa suspension measures, adding that many legal residents from the countries affected had been stuck outside China since similar measures were first imposed in March.
“The door has steadily inched open in the intervening months, culminating with the September 28 announcement that those with a valid residency permit could come back without a return visa under certain conditions, a development that was warmly welcomed by foreign nationals residing in China,” it said.
“By closing the door to legal residents less than two months later, China has dealt a serious body blow to business sentiment.”
Chamber president Joerg Wuttke said: “Slamming the door shut on foreign residents trying to return to China the same week that the China International Import Expo kicked off sends quite the mixed message.”
