Beijing is desperate to prevent a second wave of infections as it sets about rebooting its stalled economy. Photo: AFP
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https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3084689/coronavirus-china-asks-foreign-diplomats-stay-away-until-june Diplomacy
Coronavirus: China asks foreign diplomats to stay away until June 1
- Beijing extends travel advisory for envoys and other mission workers for two weeks as nation remains on high alert to risk of importing new infections from overseas
- China hopes embassies ‘continue to understand and cooperate’ with its control measures, foreign ministry says
China introduced a temporary ban on foreigners entering the country at the end of March. Photo: Xinhua
Foreign embassies in China have been advised to postpone the return of diplomats and personnel rotation for a further two weeks until June 1 to reduce the risk of importing new coronavirus cases from overseas, according to multiple diplomatic sources.
The news comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 3 advised foreign diplomats to China currently outside the country not to return until May 15, after earlier prohibiting all foreigners, including those with visas and residence permits, from entering the country.
In a reply to the Post’s request for comment on the matter, the ministry said it appreciated the “strong support and cooperation” of foreign embassies with regards to China’s measures to contain the coronavirus and appealed for their continued backing amid “great pressure to prevent imported infections”.
While China has largely brought Covid-19 under control at home, the deadly disease continues to wreak havoc elsewhere. As of Saturday morning, there had been over 4.5 million confirmed cases around the world and more than 307,000 deaths.
Beijing is desperate to prevent a second wave of infections as it sets about rebooting its stalled economy.
“China hopes foreign embassies continue to understand and cooperate with China’s epidemic-prevention measures, and consider such factors as journey safety and work demands when arranging the return and rotation of diplomatic personnel,” the ministry said.
“China is dedicated to providing a sound living environment for foreign diplomats in the country.”
Some diplomats have complained that Beijing’s restrictions on movement are excessive and contravene the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, which guarantees the free passage of envoys and diplomatic personnel.
Business communities have also called for the travel bans to be relaxed, saying they have made it impossible to continue with their normal activities.
In a bid to appease some of those concerns, Beijing and Seoul recently established a fast-track immigration mechanism to make it easier for Chinese and South Korean businesspeople to travel between the two countries, while a similar system involving China and Singapore is under discussion.
Talks also got under way this week between Beijing and Berlin that would establish a fast-track system for employees of German firms to re-enter China on special flights.