Reuters — Thursday 5 November 2020
China barred non-Chinese travellers from Britain, Belgium, the Philippines, and India, imposing some of the most stringent entry curbs of any country as global coronavirus cases surge. The restrictions drew a frosty response from Britain. “We are concerned by the abruptness of the announcement and the blanket ban on entry,” said the British Chamber of Commerce in China. England had started a month-long lockdown on Thursday. Britain’s virus death toll is the highest in Europe, grappling with more than 20,000 new cases a day. Meanwhile many people planning November visits to China scrambled to book earlier flights, with ticket fares tripling and selling out in seconds.