Ecuador suspends visa exemption agreement with China: Foreign Ministry

The Ecuadorian government suspended a visa exemption agreement with China due to the “unusual increase in irregular migration flows” of Chinese citizens to the South American country, who could be using it to go to other destinations in the region, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Ecuador.

In recent months, the entry of Chinese citizens into Ecuadorian territory has increased, but at least 50% of those entries have not registered their departure in the time allowed by Ecuadorian law or through regular channels.

“The Government of Ecuador has decided to temporarily suspend the Agreement on the mutual elimination of the visa requirement for holders of ordinary passports between the Republic of Ecuador and the People’s Republic of China,” he added in the statement.

The Chinese citizens would remain irregularly in Ecuador or would have gone to other destinations in the Hemisphere, the Foreign Ministry explained, without giving further details.

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