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Ever since the Coronavirus has broken out, many governments have been swift to act by issuing travel notifications and updated. As a result, Governments around the world are scrambling in order to take swift action. The goal of each government here is to get their own citizens out of danger. In that regard, issuing a travel warning is pretty standard practice. More often that not, we often see governments err on the side of caution.
Travel Warning
A travel warning issued by the US State Department is drawing the ire of the Chinese Government. This report in the NY post outlines what’s going on:
“Do not travel to China due to novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan,” the US State Department said, raising the warning for China to the same level as Afghanistan and Iraq.
Beijing, which has only just started to mend tattered trade ties with the United States, called that move “truly mean” given the World Health Organization (WHO) had commended its containment efforts and not recommended travel or trade curbs.
Given the existing trade tensions, it only seems like the Chinese government was angered by the fact that the State Department placed China in the same category as Afghanistan and Iraq. However, the Chinese government’s objection had more to do with their assertion that the US Department didn’t follow the recommendation set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The World Health Organization urged countries to avoid travel restrictions, but very soon after that, the United States did the opposite,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement. “It’s truly mean.”
You can access the full notification from the US State Department here: China International Travel Information
Do not travel to China due to the novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China. On January 30, the World Health Organization (WHO) determined the rapidly spreading outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Travelers should be prepared for the possibility of travel restrictions with little or no advance notice. Most commercial air carriers have reduced or suspended routes to and from China.
The Pundit’s Mantra
The Coronavirus outbreak is truly causing concerns globally. As per this latest Reuters report, we have over 17,000 confirmed cases. 362 people have also died as a result of this virus.
The latest exchange between the US and Chinese government over a travel warning could just be a storm in a tea cup. However, it will be interesting to see how the Chinese government reacts when there is an incident in the US, like a disease outbreak or a mass shooting. I won’t be surprised if government officials react in similarly in order to settle scores.
What do you think about this latest standoff? Let us know in the comments section.
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