China suspends short-term visa issuance for South Korean and Japanese visitors with immediate effect

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"China firmly rejects a handful of countries’ discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China and will take reciprocal measures," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said.

China has suspended issuing short-term visas to South Korean and Japanese nationals starting from 10 January 2023, according to several news outlets such as Yonhap News Agency and Kyodo News, and comments made by the nation's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin at the regular press conference held on 10 January 2023.

Cited by Yonhap News Agency, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul announced in a post on its WeChat account on 10 January 2023, deciding to "stop issuing short-term visas for visit, business, tourism, medical treatment and transit purposes to South Koreans with immediate effect". The embassy said it would "adjust" the measure subject to the lifting of South Korea's "discriminatory entry restrictions against China", added the report.

Meanwhile, according to Kyodo News, the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo announced to suspend the issuance of ordinary visas for Japanese citizens effective10 January 2023.

Addressing such reports and developments in his regular press conference, Spokesperson Wang noted that since China's reopening, while many countries have welcomed this decision, a few have announced entry restriction measures targeting travellers from China.

To this, he explained: "Regrettably, a handful of countries, in disregard of science, facts and their actual epidemic situation, have insisted on taking discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China. China firmly rejects this and will take reciprocal measures.

"We once again call on relevant countries to make sure that their COVID response measures are fact-based, science-based and proportionate. COVID response should not be used as a pretext for political manipulation. It should not be discriminatory and should not affect normal cross-border travel and people-to-people exchange and cooperation."

The action is the latest in a series aimed at cross-border travelIers from all sides that have led to the tightening of border controls on inbound Chinese travellers.

Under Japan's current rules, all travellers from Mainland China (except Hong Kong and Macao), and those who have visited the country within seven days, are required to present proof of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of departure, and take a PCR or high-sensitivity antigen test upon arrival in Japan. The government has restricted departures and arrivals of direct flights connecting Japan with Mainland China to four airports -- Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Chubu. Travellers flying directly from Macao to Japan will also be required to present a negative test and undergo a test upon arrival starting from 12 January 2023. 

[Find out more about Japanese border measures for foreign nationals and testing requirements here.]

South Korea has also imposed similar measures on Chinese travellers earlier this month. Travellers from China are currently required to submit a negative PCR result taken within 48 hours or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours before departure, and undergo another PCR test upon arrival. The country has also restricted issuing short-term visas for Chinese nationals and temporarily halted increasing flights from China. Flights from mainland China can only land at Seoul's Incheon International Airport.

South Korea's border control measures also cover travellers from Hong Kong and Macao, who are now also required to submit negative COVID-19 test results before entering the country, while flights from Hong Kong and Macao are restricted to only land at Incheon International Airport.

China has firmly rejected these measures by referring to them as "discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China", and said it will take reciprocal measures. In fact, on January 9, 2023, China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in a phone call with Foreign Minister Park Jin of the Republic of Korea (ROK), expressed concerns over the ROK's recent entry restrictions on travelers from China, and voiced his hope that the ROK side will uphold an objective and science-based attitude.

Finally, on the related topic of streamlining visa applications for foreign national travelling to China for work, business, study, and family visits, MFA spokesperson Wang noted that the pandemic has not yet ended. As such, he said: "China will continue to adjust its visa policy for foreign nationals in a science-based manner to keep up with the latest COVID situation and ease the travel of people coming to China for various purposes." 

Catch up on our recent travel updates:

• China reopens borders and lifts travel restrictions effective 8 January 2023 [Story here]
• Hong Kong progressively resumes normal travel with the Mainland [Story here]
• Macao to relax several inbound and transit rules starting 8 January 2023 [Story here]
• Malaysia's tightened border measures for all international arrivals: Temperature checks compulsory as of Jan 2023 [Story here]
• Thailand reverses recent border announcement: Travellers not required to show proof of vaccination [Story here]

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