On Thursday, China announced ban on non Chinese arrivals from Britain, Belgium And Philippines and a list of countries to protect it against a resurgence of the coronavirus.
The Chinese foreign ministry said it was a reasonable and fair measure to tackle the pandemic.
Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “China is drawing on the practices of many countries and adjusting its handling of the entry of the relevant people into China based on the changing pandemic situation.”
Covid-19 first emerged in central China late last year, but Beijing has largely brought its outbreak under control through tight travel restrictions and stringent health measures for anyone entering the country.
In March, as the virus ripped across the world, China shut its borders to all foreign nationals.
It gradually eased restrictions to allow those stranded overseas to return with special permission from its embassies, negative Covid-19 tests and a two-week quarantine on arrival.
