'Chinese Pain Is Korean Pain,' Says Chinese Official Wang Yi; Beijing Also Imposes Entry Restrictions

Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister in charge of diplomacy, is delivering opening remarks at the Korea-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on Sejong-daero, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 4th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Sunmi Park, Reporter Chulyoung Lim] As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in China sharply declines, it has been revealed that entry controls through airports are being strengthened even in the capital, Beijing. Although Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister, comforted Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha during a phone call the day before by saying, "Korea's difficulties are China's difficulties," the reality was different.

According to the aviation industry and diplomatic sources in Beijing on the 27th, Beijing Capital International Airport has adopted a policy since the day before that when flights from Korea arrive, airport staff check passengers' fever status and passenger information while maintaining their seating on the plane before allowing them to disembark. Passengers' temperatures are also measured before boarding, and those with a fever (37 degrees Celsius or higher) are denied boarding. If a passenger develops a fever during the flight, it is reported to airport quarantine officials upon arrival, and testing is conducted according to separate procedures. In Shanghai, if a passenger is found to have a fever (37.3 degrees Celsius) or COVID-19 symptoms after the plane arrives, they are transferred to a hospital or quarantined at a designated hotel for observation.

Guangzhou Airport had no special measures other than asking about visits to Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions within the past 14 days during immigration checks, but from this day forward, all passengers boarding flights from Korea are instructed to pre-submit their contact information and addresses. Similarly, Xiamen Airport in Fujian Province requires incoming passengers to register their personal information on a specially prepared Xiamen authorities' internet account upon entry. Even if asymptomatic, they must self-quarantine for 14 days after returning to their residence.

Earlier, at Weihai Airport in Shandong Province, Korean arrivals were forcibly quarantined for two consecutive days on the 25th and 26th. Due to a passenger with a fever boarding the plane, all 147 passengers (including 6 Koreans) on the Jeju Air flight arriving in Weihai on the morning of the 26th, following the 25th, were quarantined, and 107 passengers (including 24 Koreans) on the afternoon flight were also quarantined.

These measures by China are interpreted as efforts to prevent further infections as the spread of COVID-19 within the country slows and stabilizes. On this day, the Chinese National Health Commission announced that 433 new confirmed cases and 29 deaths were added on the 26th. Excluding the concentrated outbreak area of Hubei Province, the number of new confirmed cases and deaths nationwide were only 24 and 3, respectively.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, the country's top leadership meeting, the day before, stating that China's COVID-19 prevention situation has improved and emphasizing the need to now focus on economic and social development.

Although China's entry control measures are tightening, the Chinese government continues to issue only diplomatic rhetoric. During the call with Minister Kang, Commissioner Wang said, "China appreciates Korea's consistent strong support for China's COVID-19 prevention," and "We will keep Korea's help in mind." Although Minister Kang expressed concerns that excessive controls were being implemented, it appears Wang emphasized that these are not controls imposed by the central government.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.