"China's Entry Restrictions Are Hypocrisy... Political Logic"
As governments around the world, including South Korea, implement stringent quarantine policies for arrivals from China, some Chinese netizens have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction, calling these measures "hypocritical."
Chinese online media, communities, and social networking services (SNS) have been continuously criticizing governments that restrict the entry of Chinese tourists.
On the afternoon of the 2nd, when mandatory COVID-19 testing for arrivals from China began, passengers arriving from China were waiting at the Incheon Airport arrivals area. From this day forward, all arrivals from China must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. / Yeongjongdo - Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
On the 3rd (local time), 'Hangzhou Internet' stated, "It is hypocritical for some countries to restrict the entry of Chinese people," and questioned, "Why is China singled out as the main target for quarantine measures when most countries worldwide are easing their restrictions?"
Another Chinese media outlet, 'Huaxing Fangzhen,' claimed on the same day that "many countries regulating entry from China are following the political logic of Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom," adding, "Even the names of COVID-19 variants like 'Alpha' and 'Delta' are all Western."
On Chinese SNS platforms such as 'Baidu,' posts criticizing countries that restrict Chinese tourists, including South Korea, have flooded in. One netizen pointed out, "Blaming everything on China is why (COVID-19) could not be contained."
Another netizen urged active boycotts, saying, "If Chinese travelers are not welcome, then we should not travel abroad either."
On the 29th of last month, the international flight information board at Gimpo Airport displayed flights arriving from China and Japan. / Photo by Yonhap News
Earlier, the government confirmed and announced the "Strengthened Quarantine Measures for Arrivals from China" at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held on the 30th of last month. Accordingly, from the 2nd until the 28th of next month, all foreigners arriving from China must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within one day of entry and be quarantined in a separate facility until the test results are available.
Starting from the 5th, submission of a negative PCR test or professional rapid antigen test certificate will be mandatory before boarding flights from China to South Korea. Additionally, issuance of short-term visas, except for diplomatic, official, or humanitarian reasons, will be restricted until the 31st.
The government announced these stringent quarantine measures due to concerns that Chinese tourists could become a new source of COVID-19 infections. In fact, on the 26th of last month, among 212 tourists aboard two flights from China to Milan, Italy, 97 (45.7%) tested positive, raising significant concerns.
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