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Top Chinese diplomats urge EU, Asian nations to drop travel restrictions

  • China’s envoy to the European Union asks industry leaders to ‘speak out’ against ‘unfavourable factors’ hindering tourism recovery
  • Thailand and Malaysia earn praise from senior Beijing officials for welcoming Chinese travellers

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Chinese tourists arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport on January 9. Thailand has earned Beijing’s praise for welcoming travellers from China. Photo: EPA-EFE
Senior Chinese diplomats have called on Asian and European partners to remove Covid-19 restrictions targeting Chinese travellers, while Malaysia and Thailand earned praise for welcoming tourists.
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In a phone call on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir that China appreciated Malaysia’s stance on Beijing’s Covid-19 pandemic policy.

“The Malaysian government and various sectors of the society hold objective and just views on China’s epidemic prevention policy, and welcome Chinese tourists to their country. China commends them for all this,” Qin was quoted as saying in a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

The remarks came amid a spate of diplomatic disputes between China and other nations over restrictions on Chinese travellers, including visa suspensions and Covid-19 testing requirements.

Those nations, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Canada, have cited China’s recent spike in infections following the removal of zero-Covid measures as the reason for their concerns.
In retaliation for what it called “discriminatory and unscientific” restrictions on Chinese tourists, Beijing suspended short-term visas for South Korean and Japanese travellers.
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Chinese officials said they had shared Covid-19 data with the World Health Organization and that no new virus variants had emerged in the country.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has commended Malaysia for its “objective and just” stance towards Beijing’s Covid-19 control policy. Photo: AFP
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has commended Malaysia for its “objective and just” stance towards Beijing’s Covid-19 control policy. Photo: AFP
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