Beijing strikes back. Furious at the anti-Covid-19 measures taken by Seoul and Tokyo, China announced on Wednesday the removal of the visa exemption for South Korean and Japanese citizens in transit. In recent weeks, South Korea and Japan have imposed new travel conditions on all visitors from China as the country faces a surge in Covid-19 cases.
China, which considers these restrictions “unacceptable”, already retaliated on Tuesday by ending short-term visas for all South Korean and Japanese citizens. On Wednesday, the immigration authorities stepped up their retaliation “in response to recent discriminatory entry restrictions imposed by a few countries on Chinese citizens”.
Japan requests the reversal of the decision
“National immigration authorities have suspended, with immediate effect, the issuance of visas to Korean and Japanese citizens and the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy for South Korean and Japanese citizens,” a statement said. communicated the Chinese administration in charge of immigration. Tokyo has asked Beijing to reverse this decision.
Nationals of many countries can usually benefit from a 72-hour visa-free transit through China if they can prove that they are awaiting travel to a third country. The stay can extend up to 144 hours in some cities and provinces. That policy, however, was made more difficult, or even disappeared, when China required all incoming travelers to undergo mandatory quarantine, a requirement that was lifted on Sunday.