Editorial | Tit-for-tat travel curbs after China opens up are in no one’s interest
- Only through cooperation and trust, rather than tension and hostility, can the global pandemic be overcome
The Lunar New Year is traditionally a busy travel season in this part of the world, even more so this time around for many who are eager to go overseas after three years of Covid-imposed hiatus. Unfortunately, their plans are being disrupted by growing restrictions imposed by foreign countries in the wake of China’s belated opening-up, which in turn prompted retaliations by mainland authorities.
The escalating tension is in no one’s interest. Cool heads must prevail.
Announcing the suspension of certain visas for South Korean and Japanese nationals, Beijing said it was regrettable that a small number of countries still insisted on adopting “discriminatory” entry restrictions against Chinese in disregard of scientific facts and the actual situation of the pandemic in their own jurisdictions. It again called on relevant countries not to engage in “political manipulation”.
The move came after South Korea joined the United States, Japan and other countries to impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China. It also suspended issuing short-term visas to Chinese travellers and limited flights from mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong to Incheon International Airport only.
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Seoul expressed regret over China’s action, saying the health measures were based on scientific and objective grounds. According to the local health agency, the percentage of Chinese visitors confirmed to have positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results after entering South Korea decreased from 31.4 per cent before the border measures to 12.6 per cent after the restrictions took effect.