China has suspended entry for foreign visitors from a further eight countries as it seeks to prevent importing the coronavirus.
Notices telling people about the restrictions were posted on the websites of China’s embassies in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, France, India, Italy, Nigeria, Russia and Ukraine on Thursday. They came after would-be travellers from Britain, Belgium and the Philippines were given a similar message.
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.
While several of the countries served with notices have reported high numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths from Covid-19, the two nations with the largest caseloads – the United States and Brazil, have so far escaped China’s no-entry ruling.
However, Beijing said last week that visitors from the US would be required to produce both a nucleic acid test and a blood test no more than 48 hours before boarding their flights to China. Similar conditions apply to travellers from Australia, Germany, Canada and several other countries.
China has suspended entry for foreign visitors from a further eight countries as it seeks to prevent importing the coronavirus.
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.
