China said on Monday it plans to allow some foreign students with “real needs” to return to the country. These students have been stuck in their country for almost two years due to China’s COVID visa restrictions. The announcement comes amid reports that Beijing has issued visas to some Pakistani students.
“On the basis of ensuring safety, we will coordinate arrangements for the return of a small number of foreign students to China in view of the changing international situation of the epidemic and the real needs of students,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here. are doing.’ However, he did not elaborate on the actual requirements criteria.
Responding to questions that the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan has started issuing visas to Pakistani students, he said, “The concerned students should strictly follow China’s epidemic prevention protocol.” More than 28,000 Pakistani students have been stranded in their country for almost two years due to the COVID-19 visa ban by Beijing.
Zhao did not deny reports of visas being granted to Pakistani students, but did not comment about allowing 23,000 Indian students. Most of them were studying medicine in China. Last month, China had promised to work for the early return of over 23,000 Indian students from India and assured New Delhi that they would not be discriminated against in any way as their resumption of studies was a political one. is not the issue.