US Orders Withdrawal of Non-Essential Staff from Shanghai Consulate Amid China Lockdown Measures

by Jeong Hyunjin

Published 12 Apr.2022 10:53(KST)

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 11th (local time), the U.S. Department of State announced that it has ordered non-essential personnel at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, China, to withdraw due to the spread of COVID-19.

The State Department stated on its website that "As of the 11th, American officials and their families at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai have been ordered to withdraw from Shanghai," adding, "This is due to the rapid increase in local COVID-19 cases and the related lockdown measures."

Earlier, on the 8th, the State Department requested its citizens to "refrain from traveling to China due to concerns over the Chinese authorities' COVID-19-related restrictions and arbitrary enforcement of local laws." It specifically mentioned the Chinese authorities' lockdown policies, including separating parents and children, and banned travel to Hong Kong, Jilin Province, and Shanghai.

China recently imposed lockdown orders on some cities, including Shanghai, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.