(Fighting New Crown Pneumonia) China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: In March, 1,457 Chinese citizens were returned from severely infected countries
China News Agency, Beijing, April 2 (Reporter Liang Xiaohui) Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu revealed in Beijing on April 2 that after the overseas epidemic accelerated in March, another nine temporary flights were dispatched from Iran and Italy. Serious countries took back 1,457 Chinese citizens, including those studying abroad.
On the same day, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on the safety of Chinese students studying abroad during the epidemic.
At the meeting, Ma Zhaoxu said that from the situation of the embassies and consulates abroad, most overseas students still choose to stay in the local area. Disease control experts also advised that, in the current situation, cross-border movement should be minimized. The Chinese civil aviation authority has reduced the number of international passenger flights in accordance with the epidemic situation.
"At the same time, I also noticed that there are still some overseas students who are facing practical difficulties that cannot be solved and need to return to China." Ma Zhaoxu said that China is also considering gradually and orderly studying abroad students who have difficulties in severely affected countries and need to return home. Way to make corresponding arrangements.
"Since the outbreak, we have successively dispatched charter flights and temporary flights to pick up stranded Chinese citizens from overseas. After the overseas epidemic accelerated and spread in March, we sent another 9 temporary flights from Iran, Italy and other countries with severe epidemics. Back to 1,457 Chinese citizens, including those studying abroad, "Ma Chaoxu said.
Recently, due to changes in immigration and transit policies of various countries and flight adjustments, in some countries in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and other countries, students were stranded on the way back to their home countries. Ma Zhaoxu said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately deployed an embassy emergency operation to provide necessary guarantees such as food and accommodation for stranded Chinese citizens, and also sent masks and other epidemic prevention items. "After urgent coordination and work at home and abroad, these issues have been properly resolved, and all stranded personnel have returned to China safely on the additional flight."
He also revealed that today (April 2) a temporary charter plane has been arranged to fly to London to pick up a group of overseas students in the UK who have difficulty leaving the country. The plane has taken off at 9:30. "Given the need for domestic epidemic prevention and control, returnees should abide by various epidemic prevention regulations, including rigorous testing upon departure and quarantine observation after entry."
Ma Zhaoxu said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently taking "health packs" as an important task and the top priority, and has continuously deployed 500,000 "health packs" to countries with a large concentration of Chinese students studying abroad, including more than 11 million masks, 500,000 Copies of disinfection supplies and epidemic prevention guides. In addition, 10 medical expert teams sent to 8 countries actively assisted in fighting the epidemic, and also conducted face-to-face or video exchanges with overseas students, Chinese-funded enterprises, and Chinese citizens. . (Finish)