Rabat – China on Tuesday criticized the decision of a growing number of countries to impose restrictions on travelers arriving from the East Asian country, describing it as “discriminatory,” Deutsche Welle (DW) reported.
China also warned to take “countermeasures” as countries around the world appear to consider joining the US and Europe in imposing travel restrictions on the Asian giant.
At least 13 countries (including Morocco) have introduced travel restrictions for visitors coming from China, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the Asian country, as well as a lack of data sharing on the latest COVID outbreak.
Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week announced its decision to ban travelers coming from China from entering the country starting January 3, 2023, “to avoid a new COVID-19 outbreak.”
“All travelers arriving from China, regardless of their nationalities, will be banned from entering Morocco starting January 3,” indicated the ministry.
While Morocco took a harsher stance and introduced a complete ban, other countries, including Japan, the US, and Italy, required travelers coming from China to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival.
But Beijing has lashed out at the nations placing entry restrictions on Chinese travelers. “Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting only Chinese travelers,” DW quoted China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying.
Read also: COVID-19 Surge in China: Morocco is Cautious But Not Worried
Ning argued that the move “lacks scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable.” She warned that China could “take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity.”
The countries’ decision to impose travel restrictions on China came as the East Asian country announced relaxing its extremely strict Covid policies, including quarantine measures and travel restrictions, following widespread protests across the country.
China’s Zero-Covid Policy prompted mass public protests in the country’s major cities in recent months.
While the lifting of China’s severe COVID-19 restrictions was a relief for its citizens, the decision has raised concerns among other countries, notably those that had suffered from extreme waves of the virus throughout 2020 and 2021.
Amid global demands for data transparency from China, the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 30 held a meeting with Chinese health officials. During the meeting, WHO “again asked for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation.”
