China bans entry of Indians as COVID-19 cases surge in India

China has now suspended all flights coming from India. It comes in the wake of rising Coronavirus cases in India. This was recently announced in a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy.

Reportedly, the Chinese embassy in its statement said that entry into China with visas issued after November 3, 2020 will not be affected. It said, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hereby announced that China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals in India holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits. The Chinese Consulates/Embassy in India will not stamp the Health Declaration Forms for the holders of the above-mentioned categories of visa or residence permits.” The statement, however, clarified that it is a temporary measurement and that China has to adapt to deal with the current pandemic.
Also, as per the reports, the decision comes three days after China issued fresh guidelines for airlines flying passengers to the country.
As per the statement issued, “All passengers taking charter flights or special flights from India to China arranged by the government of China or India, are required to take double nucleic acid tests and one IgM anti-body test of Covid-19, in labs authorised by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), with the samples of the first nucleic acid test collected within 72 hours (3 days) before boarding, and the samples of the second nucleic acid test and the IgM anti-body test collected within 36 hours before boarding.”
Further, for those travelling via Indian charter flights or special flights, certificates of negative results of the three said tests along with the personally signed health declaration form shall be sent through the India’s Ministry of External Affairs to the Chinese Embassy in India for verification and stamping at least 24 hours before boarding.

As of now, the Delhi-Wuhan-Delhi flight has been cancelled, which was scheduled to operate today, as it does not have approval of Chinese authorities for the same, informed a senior airline official.

Apart from India, China has also imposed a similar temporary ban on travellers from the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Philippines for the same reason.