Xinhua News Agency
China objected Tuesday to new COVID-19 testing requirements for Chinese travelers that has been put in place by a number of countries, saying the measures “lack scientific basis.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a briefing that China could institute “countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity.”
China has seen a surge in COVID-19 infections, while other governments have faulted China for not being transparent about its infection data.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that air passengers from China will have to provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery before being allowed to board. A CDC statement cited “the lack of adequate and transparent epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data being reported” from China.
“These data are critical to monitor the case surge effectively and decrease the chance for entry of a novel variant of concern,” the CDC said.
Britain, France, Canada, South Korea, Spain and Qatar are among the group of other countries that have announced similar testing requirements for Chinese travelers.
European Union officials are due to meet Wednesday to discuss a coordinated approach on China COVID policies. – gb
