<Anchor>
China has completely stopped issuing short-term visas to Chinese citizens.
As many countries around the world strengthened corona quarantine for entrants from China, China, which has expressed dissatisfaction, has come up with countermeasures.
Beijing Correspondent Jeong Young-tae's report first, and then we'll find out more.
<Reporter>
China's full suspension of short-term visas was announced without prior notice on the afternoon of the 10th, the day of implementation.
The Chinese embassy in Korea said, "According to Chinese domestic instructions, we will stop issuing short-term visas for Korean nationals visiting China from today."
Subjects are visas, including visits, commercial trade, tourism, medical, and general personal circumstances.
The Chinese embassy added, "We plan to make adjustments depending on the situation in which Korea cancels its discriminatory entry restrictions against China."
Previously, the Korean government first announced that it would suspend the issuance of short-term visas for Chinese to Korea from the 2nd to the 31st of this month, and it was clear that this was a response.
China, which has been avowing corresponding measures since a week ago, saying that restrictions on arrivals from China by many countries around the world are discriminatory, has actually taken action.
[Wang Wenbin/Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson: We resolutely oppose (some countries') discriminatory entry restrictions and took equal measures.] In a
phone call between the foreign ministers of Korea and China yesterday, China's new foreign minister Qin Gang expressed concern about Korea's quarantine measures. I did.
The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over China's actions and said it would continue to communicate.
[Lim Su-seok/Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson: (Our measures) were fully explained that they were based on scientific and objective grounds.]
In Japan, there was also a report that Chinese authorities notified travel agencies that they would suspend visa procedures from Japan to China.
Since the 30th of last month, Japan has made PCR tests mandatory before and after entry for travelers from China, but visa issuance has been carried out normally.
(Video editing: Cho Moo-hwan)
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<Anchor>
I will connect you to Beijing Correspondent Jung Young-tae.
China is the first to come up with official countermeasures against Korea, so please point out the reason.
<Reporter>
Morocco in Africa completely blocked entry from China is the strongest measure so far, but Korea is almost the only other major country to even suspend short-term visas for Chinese.
Of course, there are a lot of flights and human traffic between Korea and China, so there are some aspects that are inevitable for us, but from China's point of view, it is the first response to Korea, which has strong regulations.
In the past, when the corona spread in Korea was severe, China took measures such as indiscriminately isolating only entrants from Korea or canceling air routes unilaterally without prior notice.
<anchor>
There will be an impact, including those who are going on a business trip to China on a short-term visa right now. What will the situation be like in the future?
<Reporter>
First of all, China is in the position that Korea will first cancel the short-term visa restriction measures before they can solve it.
Our measures are until January 31, and if they are lifted after that, it is highly likely that China will also be released.
However, for us, if the positive confirmation rate of entrants from China continues to be high or if a new mutation is confirmed, it may be difficult to find a justification for deregulation. Inconvenience will increase.
In addition, the situation may be prolonged if China adds measures corresponding to the PCR test or quarantine policy for all confirmed cases after entering the country.
If that happens, there are concerns that the travel sentiment, which seemed to be relieved from March, will also greatly shrink.