For more than two years, foreign travelers have been quarantined upon arrival in China because of Covid restrictions. Pictured here at Beijing International Airport on June 18, 2022, are passengers waiting to be taken to designated quarantine destinations.
Leo Ramirez | afp | beautiful pictures
Officials say the US government is considering imposing new Covid rules on travelers from China, citing concerns about virus-related data released by the Chinese government.
“The international community is increasingly concerned about the ongoing COVID-19 surge in China and the lack of transparent data, including virus genome sequence data, reported from the People’s Republic of China, ” officials said in a statement late Tuesday.
“Without this data, it is increasingly difficult for public health officials to ensure that they can identify any potential new variants and take timely measures to reduce the spread,” the officials said. official said.
Officials pointed to Japan recent measures required a negative Covid test for travelers arriving from mainland China from December 30 – when China faced a sharp increase in infections nationwide after abruptly reopening .
The announcement from the Japanese Ministry of Health added that travelers from China who do not have a valid vaccination certificate will also be required to take a pre-departure test. According to the announcement, these measures will not apply to people traveling from Hong Kong and Macao.
When asked to comment on Japan’s measures, China’s foreign ministry stressed the need for “scientific-based” measures without further explanation.
“The current COVID situation around the world continues to call for a science-based response approach and a joint effort to ensure safe cross-border travel, keeping global supply chains and industry intact. stable demand, and at the same time restore world economic growth,” deputy general manager Wang Wenbin told reporters in a news conference. Tuesday briefing.
US officials said Malaysia was also taking measures while India and the World Health Organization expressed concern about the situation in China.
“America is following the science and advice of public health experts, consulting our partners, and considering taking the same steps we can to protect our people. America,” the officials said.
— CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.
