In response to the relaxation of epidemic prevention measures in mainland China and the resumption of citizens’ outbound travel, some countries and regions have imposed additional restrictions on passengers entering the country from the mainland, including providing pre-departure nucleic acid testing and landing testing. China believes that the relevant measures have no scientific basis and are discriminatory. Threatened Reciprocal measures will be taken. China suspended the issuance of short-term visas for South Korean citizens to China yesterday, and it will be adjusted depending on the cancellation of South Korea’s discriminatory entry restrictions on China. South Korea later announced that it will add restrictions on flights from Hong Kong and Macau. From yesterday until the end of February, only Incheon Airport can be used, and it is not allowed to transfer to other cities after arriving in Incheon. It is not known whether it will counter China. Visa suspension. The Chinese embassy in Japan also announced last night that the embassies and consulates in Japan will suspend the issuance of ordinary visas for Japanese citizens to China with immediate effect.
The Yonhap News Agency stated that the Chinese Embassy in South Korea issued a notice on the WeChat public account yesterday, saying that “according to domestic instructions, the issuance of short-term visas for South Korean citizens visiting China, business, tourism, medical treatment, transit and general private affairs will be suspended from now on. The above-mentioned The measures will be adjusted depending on the cancellation of South Korea’s discriminatory entry restrictions on China.” The South Korean government has suspended the issuance of short-term visas for Chinese citizens to South Korea since the 2nd of this month, and restricted mainland flights to Incheon Airport. Passengers from Hong Kong and Macau must also present a negative certificate within 48 hours before boarding the plane starting from last Saturday. In addition, recently netizens have also criticized that mainland tourists must hang a yellow card when entering the country to identify it as discrimination.
In Japan, Japanese media quoted a travel agency in Tokyo as saying that the “Chinese Visa Application Service Center” notified that visa procedures would be suspended. Except for special circumstances, applications for business visas and other visas would no longer be processed. According to the report, if the suspension of visas is prolonged, business trips from Japan to China will be impossible, or business exchanges between China and Japan will be hindered. Starting from the 30th of last month, Japan has required passengers who take direct flights from mainland China and passengers who have been to the mainland within 7 days to undergo a landing test when entering the country, and are only allowed to use four airports including Tokyo Narita. Restrictions were further strengthened on the 8th of this month. Except for Hong Kong and Macau, mainland passengers must provide a negative certificate and undergo a more accurate nucleic acid test when they land. Negative certificate and landing test.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Opposition to discriminatory practices South Korean expresses regret and urges withdrawal
Yesterday at a regular press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to the above-mentioned visa measures, saying, “We once again call on the relevant countries to proceed from the facts, formulate scientific and appropriate epidemic prevention measures, and should not take the opportunity to engage in political manipulation and should not be discriminatory. This practice should not affect normal personnel exchanges and exchanges and cooperation between countries.” The South Korean government expressed regret over China’s relevant measures, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Im Soo-seok reiterated that South Korea has scientific and objective basis for strengthening epidemic prevention measures for Chinese tourists. China has been sharing epidemic information with the international community openly and transparently, and conveyed this position to China through diplomatic channels, and will continue to communicate closely with China. The Chinese embassy in Japan has not announced when it will resume visas for Japanese citizens. The Japanese foreign ministry protested the decision and urged China to withdraw it. The South Korean travel agency stated that the suspension of visas will not have an immediate impact, because it has not yet organized a group to China, but if it affects the overall situation of peace and friendship between China and South Korea, it will affect the recovery of the tourism industry, and vendors in South Korean tourist areas are eager for Chinese tourists. Bring prosperous business.
Only Incheon Airport Tour Groups can be used to evacuate the affected Hong Kong government
South Korea only allows Hong Kong flights to use Incheon Airport, and all passengers must enter through the airport, disrupting the arrangements for Hong Kong flights and Lunar New Year tour groups. Lin Shixiong, director of the Transportation and Logistics Bureau, posted a response on the social platform yesterday, expressing disappointment and high concern about the decision. The Bureau will contact the South Korean authorities and the Korean Consulate General in Hong Kong to express the SAR government’s objections and reasons, and request South Korea to withdraw the relevant decision as soon as possible. limit. Hong Kong Express (HK Express) was originally scheduled to resume flights between Hong Kong and Jeju and Busan, South Korea on the 22nd of this month. The website was changed to “not provided” yesterday. Hong Kong Express said yesterday that it has been actively communicating with the South Korean authorities and will continue to communicate with them.
Yuan Zhenning, executive director of Zongyou, said that more than 90% of group members going to South Korea for the Lunar New Year will take Seoul as their destination, and it is not the peak tourist season for Jeju and Busan, so the arrangement will not be affected. As for the affected members, you can choose to refund or change the itinerary depending on the flight seat. Xuan Guoquan, executive director of Dongying Tour, told the media that three tour groups from Hong Kong to Busan were affected during the Chinese New Year, involving more than 60 group members; in principle, it is possible to take a bus from Incheon to Busan, but due to time constraints, the It is more difficult and expensive to get a ticket to Incheon. He pointed out that affected passengers can choose to transfer to places such as Japan and Thailand, otherwise they will be forced to cancel and need to pay a handling fee.
Originally published on AM730 https://www.am730.com.hk/Local/Counter Entry Restrictions – China Stops Visas for Japanese and Korean Citizens/356588?utm_source=yahoorss&utm_medium=referral