[Editorial] Flexibility matters in diplomacy

The Yoon administration must respect science-based quarantine guidelines while displaying flexibility.

Korea and China continue to build unnecessary tensions through their retaliatory Covid-19 quarantine measures. China’s apparently emotional restrictions on entrants from Korea deserve criticism. But our government also needs to take more practical steps than before.

It all started from the Chinese government’s sudden turn to “With Covid-19” policy last December from the draconian “Zero Covid-19” policy it adhered to for three years. After Chinese citizens vehemently opposed the stringent mitigation rules through massive “blank sheet” protests and went so far as to call for a regime change, Beijing rushed to lift quarantine guidelines without sufficient preparations. That sounded loud alarms around the globe.

After Covid-19 cases increased sharply in a short period of time in China, the Chinese went overseas en masse to find medicines. In reaction, many countries enforced entry restrictions on travelers from China. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration also stopped issuing short-term visas for Chinese travelers from Jan. 2 to Jan. 31 while mandating a PCR test for all entrants from China regardless of their nationality before and after their entry.

That was certainly a science-based quarantine measure, but China responded by suspending visa issuance for Koreans and Japanese from Jan. 10. China even stopped issuing transit visas for them from the next day, a move apparently aimed at South Korea and Japan.

On Jan. 27, the Korean government extended its ban on short-term visas for Chinese entrants to Feb. 28. At that time, our public health authorities cited the possibility of a resurgence of infections in China after the Lunar New Year even though conditions were getting better here.

Then Beijing reactivated Covid-19 tests and quarantines specifically targeting entrants from Korea from Wednesday. No doubt it was a retaliation for Seoul’s decision to extend the ban on short-term visas for entrants from China. In fact, Chinese people were exempted from Covid tests and quarantines when returning home. Beijing also abruptly resumed visa issuance for Japanese entrants from Jan. 29, but not Koreans.

China must not exploit quarantine for diplomacy. The Moon administration was criticized for its submissive stance toward China, including a reluctance to enforce restrictions on Chinese entrants in time. The Yoon administration must respect science-based guidelines while displaying flexibility. In a press conference Tuesday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo mentioned the need for a review on lifting the restrictions on the Chinese before the end of February.