Beijing bars arrivals from UK, Belgium and Philippines due to second Covid-19 waves

A security guard watches over the empty international arrivals channel at Beijing airport on Nov 6, 2020, after China banned foreign arrivals from a host of other countries, the latest in a growing number of entry bans as China closes itself off from a world still battling the coronavirus pandemic. - AFP

BEIJING, Nov 7 (AFP): China has defended a ban on non-Chinese arrivals from Britain, Belgium and the Philippines as "reasonable and fair" as it guards against a resurgence of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) issues.

Covid-19 first emerged in central China late last year, but Beijing has largely brought its own outbreak under control through tight travel restrictions and stringent health measures for anyone entering the country.