China retaliates against S Korea, Japan over COVID restrictions bworldonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bworldonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
China's embassy in Seoul said on Tuesday it has stopped issuing short-term visas for visitors from South Korea, the first retaliatory move against countries imposing COVID-19 curbs on travellers from China, where the virus is spreading unchecked. China reopened its borders on Sunday after three years of isolation, removing the last major restriction that was part of a "zero-COVID" regime which it abruptly began dismantling in early December after historic protests against the curbs.
Although China imposes similar testing requirements for all arrivals, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters on Tuesday entry curbs for Chinese travellers were "discriminatory" and China would take "reciprocal measures". In the first retaliatory move, the Chinese embassy in South Korea suspended issuing short-term visas for South Korean visitors.