China: The Chinese government has claimed that travel restrictions imposed by several countries on Chinese arrivals are politically motivated and has warned that it may retaliate.

The countries that imposed restrictions on passengers from China include the US, UK, India, Japan, and several European nations.

“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practises are even more unacceptable,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mr. Mao Ning remarked.

“We firmly oppose the attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity,” Mr. Ning added.

“This is an approach that is solely and exclusively based on science,” Mr. Ned Price, a spokesperson for the US state department, stated in response to China’s claims.

“The measures are based on very public health concerns that underpin them, as well as a lack of adequate and transparent epidemiological data being reported from the PRC,” Mr. Price added, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

“I think we’re performing our duty in protecting the French people by asking for tests,” France’s Prime Minister Ms. Elisabeth Borne observed.

The world’s most populous country has seen a surge in COVID cases following the easing of its strict controls. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently urged China to share more real-time information, and as a result, the foreign ministry of the country announced that “Beijing was willing to improve communication with the world.”

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