Japan expressed regret and protest over China's suspension of issuing visas to Japanese citizens, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded.

On June 65438+ 10 1 1, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin held a regular press conference.

A reporter asked, China announced yesterday that it would suspend the approval and issuance of ordinary visas for Japanese citizens to come to China. The Japanese government expressed regret and protest on the grounds that the measures taken by Japan against Japanese citizens going to China were negative for nucleic acid testing, which did not mean that China suspended its visa. What is China's comment on this?

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Wang Wenbin said, we have pointed out many times that a few countries persist in adopting discriminatory entry restrictions on China tourists, regardless of the scientific basis and the actual epidemic situation in their own countries. China's reciprocal response based on the actual situation of discriminatory measures against China by relevant countries is just and reasonable, not only to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens, but also to safeguard the necessary environment for normal exchanges and cooperation between countries.

Wang Wenbin said that we would also like to take this opportunity to introduce some relevant information to you. Recently, multinational health and epidemic prevention experts pointed out that it is neither scientific nor necessary to tighten entry measures for tourists from China. The Minister of Health of Singapore recently said that in the last four weeks of 2022, the number of confirmed cases entering Singapore from China was less than 5% of the total number of newly imported cases, far lower than that from other countries and regions, so there is no need to strengthen epidemic prevention measures in China at present. Kruger, Director of the European Region of the World Health Organization, recently pointed out that China has been sharing information such as virus gene sequence with the international community, and the COVID-19 strain currently prevalent in China has appeared in Europe and other regions. The epidemic situation in China will not have a great impact on the current epidemic situation in Europe. Any preventive measures should be based on science and ensure moderate non-discrimination. He also pointed out that the new strain XBB. 1.5 has spread rapidly in the United States, and the threat posed by mutant strains can appear at any time or come from anywhere.

Wang Wenbin pointed out that many countries indicated that they would not take restrictive measures against tourists from China, and some countries also explicitly welcomed tourists from China. We once again call on the countries concerned to scientifically and properly formulate epidemic prevention measures based on facts, and all parties should work together to create favorable conditions for normal personnel exchanges and cooperation.

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China countered the discriminatory epidemic prevention policy and expressed "regret" for Japan and South Korea's "firing".

After China issued COVID-19 prevention and control measures, many countries imposed strict entry measures on tourists from China. In view of the lack of scientific basis for other countries' policies, China fired the first shot on June 5438+ 10/0-The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the notices of "Korean and Japanese citizens suspending short-term visas to China" one after another, which can be described as a counterattack order against other countries' discrimination against China citizens in epidemic prevention policies.

On June+10/October 10, 65438, the Korean government expressed regret over the counter-attack order issued by China.

65438+ 10 10, the China Embassy in South Korea issued a notice saying, "From now on, the China Embassy in South Korea will suspend the issuance of short-term visas for Korean citizens to come to China for business, tourism, medical care, transit and general private affairs. The above measures will be adjusted according to South Korea's lifting of discriminatory entry restrictions on China. "

Recently, Korean tourists from China were required to undergo nucleic acid testing within one day after entering the country. 65438+105, passengers from China must provide negative proof of nucleic acid test within 48 hours before boarding the plane and rapid screening test within 24 hours. When they arrive, they will have another test. Short-term visa holders will be tested in specially designated places within one day, and Korean citizens and residents will be observed in isolation at their places of residence.

Qin Gang, China's new foreign minister, telephoned South Korean Foreign Minister Park Chun-tong on19, expressing concern about the temporary restrictions imposed by the ROK on people entering South Korea recently, hoping that the ROK would adopt an objective and scientific attitude.

However, the South Korean side did not change, and still argued that the South Korean government's measures to strengthen entry and epidemic prevention in China have scientific and objective basis. South Korea has been openly and transparently using epidemic information with the international community and has been conveying this position to China through diplomatic channels. In the future, we will convey the above position to China again and continue to carry out close communication.

Therefore, according to the principle of reciprocity, China adopted the above measures on June 5438+ 10/0.

The notice issued by China made it clear that this was to oppose the discriminatory entry policy against China people. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning 65438+1October 3 said: "Some countries only take measures to restrict entry to China without scientific basis, and some extreme measures are even more unacceptable." "We resolutely oppose attempts to manipulate epidemic prevention and control measures to achieve political goals, and will take corresponding measures according to the principle of reciprocity in different situations."

At 20: 54 p.m. on June 65438+ 10/0, the Embassy of China in Japan also issued a similar notice, saying, "From now on, the Embassy of China in Japan will suspend the examination and issuance of ordinary visas for Japanese citizens to China. When to resume, please wait for the notice. "

At the regular press conference on1October 65438+10, Wang Wenbin, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said that after China issued the overall plan of "B and B management" for COVID-19 infection and the Interim Measures for the Exchange of Chinese and Foreign Personnel, a few countries still insisted on adopting discriminatory entry restrictions on China, regardless of scientific facts and the actual epidemic situation in their own countries. China resolutely opposes this and has taken reciprocal measures. We once again call on the countries concerned to formulate epidemic prevention measures scientifically and properly based on facts, and should not take the opportunity to engage in political manipulation and discriminatory practices, nor should it affect normal personnel exchanges and cooperation between countries.

According to the decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, novel coronavirus infection in China will be changed from "Class B A tube" to "Class B tube" on June 8, 2023. This is another major adjustment of epidemic prevention and control policy since the beginning of 2020, three years after the implementation of prevention and control measures for Class A infection in COVID-19.

There is a scientific basis for the China government to make such a decision. Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission's Leading Group for Epidemic Response and Disposal, said that the pathogenicity of pathogens was weakened first. Second, after most people were vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine, the active immunization level of Chinese people was significantly improved, and the vaccination ratio of high-risk groups also reached certain requirements; Thirdly, the level of prevention and control can be adjusted from various aspects, such as the means of medication and the preparation of some resources for severe treatment.

At present, most people in many provinces and cities in China have passed the COVID-19 infection period. On June 5438+1October 10, Henan Province, the most populous province in China, announced that the first wave of infection had passed smoothly.