China bars all foreign nationals from entering country, stops international flights

The Chinese government has barred all foreign nationals and stopped all international flights from entering China, stating that this was a precautionary measure to stop the spread and return of the deadly coronavirus disease.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this known in an announcement on Thursday, stating that the ban will take effect from Saturday, March 28.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is no date yet as to when the ban will end, though the measures taken will be ”calibrated in light of the evolving situation and announced accordingly”.

The Ministry also stated that the ban placed would equally affect non-citizens with residence permits and valid visa while diplomats and those providing necessary economic, scientific or technological services or emergency humanitarian support are excluded from the restriction.

The ministry said that the government was worried that International travelers might trigger a second coronavirus infections, stating that the announcement was made after official Chinese data showed that the country had almost curbed domestic transmission of the virus but was finding it difficult to curtail a growing number of people who were infected overseas.