China Warns "'Excessive Quarantine Controls on Freight Trucks Causing Logistics Disruptions' Will Lead to Accountability"

Residents of Beijing, China, lined up on the 5th of last month, waiting for COVID-19 testing. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Chinese authorities have ordered a halt to excessive quarantine measures that cause logistics disruptions.

According to a report by the state-run China News Network on the 26th, the Ministry of Transport of China stated at a briefing the previous day, "We will closely monitor the transportation and logistics situation and publicly hold accountable those responsible if redundant and excessive quarantine controls are found."

The Ministry of Transport pointed out that in some regions, excessive quarantine controls have prevented goods from reaching their destinations or caused deliveries after the expiration of shelf life. There were also cases where drivers were detained until the results came out after undergoing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

They emphasized that closures of courier infrastructure or bans on freight truck operations must be strictly limited, and if such measures are unavoidable, sufficient prior notice must be given. They also ordered that adequate conveniences be provided to drivers stranded due to PCR testing issues.

The Ministry of Transport stated, "Freight transportation must be scientifically and precisely controlled according to quarantine guidelines, and frontline personnel should not arbitrarily block passage at multiple levels," adding, "We will publicly reprimand and eradicate uniform and redundant freight transportation control cases that continue to generate complaints."

Currently, China is recording a daily new infection count exceeding 30,000, setting consecutive record highs. The problem is that as quarantine measures are strengthened in various places and the influx of outsiders is strictly controlled, logistics difficulties have simultaneously worsened. In Henan and Shandong, winter vegetable production areas, farmers blocked by strengthened quarantine measures have plowed under their vegetable fields, and in cities, vegetable prices have surged due to supply shortages.