The Chinese embassy reacted to the amendment to the entry regulations that have been in force since Saturday and speak of “discriminatory entry restrictions”.
China sharply criticizes the corona test requirement for travelers from China to Austria. “We reject the unscientific and discriminatory entry restrictions imposed by the Austrian authorities on travelers from China and express our dissatisfaction and regret in this regard,” the Chinese embassy in Vienna told the APA in a statement.
The embassy reacted to the change in the entry regulations that have been in force since Saturday. Air passengers arriving in Austria from the Asian state must therefore present a negative PCR test before departure, which must not be older than 48 hours. The first passenger flight from the People’s Republic since the introduction of mandatory testing landed in Vienna on Monday morning. After three years of isolation, China gave up its strict anti-Covid policy about a month ago. According to media reports, a huge corona wave has been raging in the country since then. Due to concerns about new virus variants, several countries are now requiring travelers from China to undergo corona tests.
“Measures specifically against China”
According to China, however, this measure lacks “scientific basis and violates the principle of science and proportionality”, according to the statement released on Tuesday night. Several international organizations and institutions would consider the introduction of entry restrictions to be unjustified. Health experts from many countries, including Austria, shared the view that the omicron variants currently circulating in China already existed in the EU and that Europe can handle the current burden of infections because of its high immunization rate, he argued. the embassy.
It is also criticized that the “measures specifically target China”, “which is obviously discriminatory, unfair and inappropriate”. Virus gene data shows that the strains of Covid-19 currently spreading in China have already been found elsewhere and are not a significant new variant or mutation. The new Omikron XBB.1.5 variant is currently not only the fastest growing variant in the US, but is also appearing in many European countries.
“The Chinese side still believes that all countries’ measures to combat Covid-19 should be science-based and proportionate,” the embassy stressed. The measures must not “jeopardize regular interpersonal exchanges and cooperation”, “no political manipulation or discriminatory practices”.
In China, the rules are the same for everyone.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, China has “done its best to protect the safety and health of the lives of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people”. In addition, China “has always shared relevant data and information openly, transparently and responsibly with the international community”, emphasized the embassy after criticism from the World Health Organization (WHO) for providing more data in view of the high circulation of the virus in the country. China.
China has also changed its entry regulations since January 8th. A PCR test and mandatory quarantine upon arrival in China are canceled. However, when entering China, a negative PCR test result is required within 48 hours of departure. The embassy points out that this measure applies “to travelers from all countries”. “No particular group of people from any particular country is discriminated against.”
(APA)