China has announced it will temporarily suspend entry for foreigners, including those with valid travel documents, as the coronavirus pandemic swells abroad.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced Thursday in a statement that the country “has decided to temporarily suspend entry of foreigners with currently valid visas and residence permits in China,” beginning midnight on Saturday. Foreigners with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected by the policy–and those traveling to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities, or out of emergency humanitarian needs may still apply for visas, according to the ministry.
“The suspension is a temporary measure that China is compelled to take in light of the outbreak situation and the practices of other countries,” the statement said.
“China will stay in close touch with all sides and properly handle personnel exchanges with the rest of the world under the special circumstances,” it added. “The above-mentioned measures will be calibrated in light of the evolving situation and announced accordingly.”
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has neared half a million, of which more than 22,000 have died and around 120,000 have recovered as of Thursday. The illness was first observed late last year in Wuhan, capital of China’s central Hubei province. It has since spread around the world, killing more people in Italy and Spain than China itself, and rapidly infecting throughout the United States.
The U.S. now hosts the most known active COVID-19 cases. This comes despite President Donald Trump having banned in late January entry to all foreigners who had been in China within a two-week period. On March 12, Trump suspended for 30 days all travel from most countries in Europe.
This is a developing news story. More information will be added as it becomes available.
