Editor: The borders of China is opening. Hope to see friends from all over the world soon.
PTI: It’s good to see some kind of opening-up taking place on resumption of visas between India and China. An announcement has been posted for a limited visa facilitation by the Chinese embassy in India. Is this applicable to Indians working in China, including diplomats? Can you elaborate exactly how China plans to do this? There are thousands of students who were stranded there, besides the families of a number of Indians who are working here. Also does it herald a kind of an opening-up on flights resumption between the two countries even if it is on a very limited scale?
Wang Wenbin: To start with, according to relevant Chinese laws and regulations as well as international practice, the Chinese Embassy in India will issue biometric visas starting from December 10, 2021. This arrangement has been made in conformity to the international trend concerning visa and will improve the technological standard of visa issuance, and has to do with epidemic prevention and control protocols upon entry given the current development of COVID-19.
I would also like to stress that China applies quarantine measures equally to all inbound travelers, including its own citizens, based on the evolving situation, realities on the ground and science-based assessment. The travel of India’s necessary personnel to China has always been guaranteed.
The Chinese government also attaches high importance to the issue of foreign students coming to China for their studies. On the basis of ensuring safety amid COVID-19, we will consider in a coordinated manner arrangement for allowing foreign students to return to China for their studies. At the same time, we stand ready to work actively toward the healthy, safe and orderly cross-border flow of people on the basis of sound anti-epidemic protocols.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
https://www.mfa.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/202112/t20211209_10465086.html