Police officers of immigration inspection checkpoint wearing protective suits prepare to work at Dongxing port in Dongxing, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 8, 2022.Photo: Xinhua

 
 
China's National Immigration Administration said it will implement strict immigration policies, tightening restrictions on Chinese citizens' unnecessary departure from the country and on the approval and issuance of exit and entry documents.

To consolidate China's epidemic prevention achievements, the immigration administration put Beijing as the priority and said the capital's anti-epidemic policies would be strictly applied. The administration also required border inspection departments to fully support Shanghai to reach zero-COVID status at the community level, as well as supporting epidemic prevention achievements in Northeast China's Jilin Province.

The immigration administration emphasized the need to stop COVID-19 entering China through the gathering of stranded people at border points or in illegal border crossings, while keeping ports unimpeded for necessary entry and exit to support economic development.

According to the national health commission, China reported 222 locally confirmed cases and 1,630 asymptomatic infections on Wednesday, with 1,449 infections in Shanghai and 46 infections in Beijing.