The COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on travellers from China have drawn harsh criticism from the Chinese government, which has threatened to retaliate against any countries involved, including the United States and several European countries.
Photo via CBS News
At a daily briefing on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning stated, "We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive procedures are even more unacceptable."
"We will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity," she said. "We firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes."
However, Mao made no mention of potential actions China might take.
The remarks were China's most incisive on the subject to date.
As China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly loosening restrictions that had been in place for the majority of the pandemic, Australia and Canada this week joined a growing list of nations requiring travellers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight.
Photo via The Guardian
In response to concerns about the lack of data on infections in China and worries that new variants may emerge, other countries, including the United States, India, Japan, South Korea, and several European nations, have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on travellers from China.
According to CTV News, China has some of the most strict entry requirements for visitors from other countries. It will no longer require a five-day quarantine for all arrivals, but it will still demand a COVID-19 test result that is negative within 48 hours of the flight.
What do you guys think? Are these strict measures necessary?
