China to Fly Back Citizens Amid Rising Cases, Border Tensions

The Chinese embassy will register the passengers till 27 May.

Image used for representation.

(Illustration: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

In an urgent notice, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi has informed its citizens residing in India that special flights would be available to fly them back home.

China planning to evacuate its citizens catches attention amid growing border tensions between India and China besides rising cases of COVID-19 in parts of western and northern India.

The notice says that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made elaborate plans specially for students and tourists who have been facing difficulty in taking flights to China.

The notice, published in Mandarin on the embassy's website on 25 May, suggests several health precautions for the passengers flying home, while also stressing those who opt to return home will have to pay the fare, to be determined by airlines according to business model, and isolation fees.

It also says those returning will have deemed to have consented to bear any risks while returning and accepting various quarantine and epidemic prevention arrangements during the flight and after entry by purchasing the tickets.

The embassy will register the passengers till 27 May.

The order said that in order to ensure public health and safety, diagnosed or suspected cases, those who have fever and cough symptoms within the past 14 days, and those who are in close contact with COVID positive people should not book and take flights.

If the body temperature exceeds 37.3 degrees (inclusive) or there are suspected symptoms before boarding, the airline will refuse boarding, the notice says.

As per the notice, strict quarantine inspection will be carried out at the port of entry. If a passenger conceals his illness and contact history or it is found that he has taken antipyretics and other inhibitory drugs during the quarantine inspection, he will be held liable for the crime of endangering public safety.

Chinese citizens working in different Chinese companies in India would require a clearance certificate from the parent company to leave India.

Sources said that though Chinese Embassy has suggested that flights back home have nothing to do with escalating border tension, it is being said that notice was published on the website after taking stock of the recent development on Indian borders.

Moreover, the recent spike in corona cases in India has also compelled the Chinese government to arrange urgent flights from New Delhi to Beijing in a bid to evacuate its citizens.

The embassy notice also reminds the applicants of furnishing certain formalities at the airport once they reach China. "The passenger must agree to accept the Chinese Customs' sampling of nucleic acid and blood tests. The minor's domestic guardian must agree to the Chinese Customs to conduct nucleic acid testing and blood testing for its guardian, as well as cooperate with the guardian's isolation for medical observation in accordance with the relevant requirements of the local government," says the notice.