China has resumed issuing visas to Japanese nationals 19 days after the Chinese government suspended issuing visas to China for Japanese and South Korean nationals in retaliation for stricter quarantine measures for new arrivals from China.
The Chinese embassy in Japan announced on the 29th that it would resume reviewing and issuing universal visas for Japanese nationals entering China. General visas refer to visas other than diplomatic, official and courtesy visas.
As China repealed its zero-corona policy last month, the Japanese government made it mandatory to submit a COVID-19 test and a negative certificate for arrivals from China as the number of corona 19 infections increased and Chinese foreign travelers were expected to surge. However, no measures were taken to restrict the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals.
South Korea has made it mandatory for applicants arriving from China to undergo a PCR test before and after entry and has stopped issuing short-term visas.
In response, the Chinese government announced on the 10th that it would suspend the issuance of short-term visas to Koreans and general visas to Japanese nationals in response to South Korea’s and Japan’s stronger quarantine measures for new arrivals from China. Then, on the 11th, the next day, the visa waiver policy for Korean and Japanese nationals passing through China for 72 or 144 hours was also suspended.
China has resumed issuing visas to Japan, but is expected to maintain restrictions on South Korea. Regarding the measures taken against South Korea, the Chinese embassy in Korea said, “I understand there is no change yet.”
This can be attributed to China’s ‘reciprocity’ position. Japan has made inspections mandatory for new arrivals from China, but has not stopped issuing visas to Chinese nationals. On the other hand, South Korea stopped issuing short-term visas to Chinese from the 2nd, and on the 27th announced that it would extend the restrictions on issuing short-term visas, scheduled until the end of this month, until the 28th. from next month.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular briefing on the 16th, “We hope that relevant countries will cooperate with China to remove discriminatory restrictions against China as soon as possible with a scientific attitude and a spirit of mutual respect , and to restore personnel exchange and exchange and cooperation. I do,” he said.
An official from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the same day, “Our side communicates with the Chinese side as necessary, and our position is that there should be no restrictions on entry based on factors other than quarantine.”
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