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People attend a New Year’s Eve event at a shopping mall in Shijiazhuang, China, on Dec. 31. (Xinhua/Yonhap)

All eyes are on China to see whether Beijing will expand retaliatory measures to other countries after suspending visa issuances for South Korean and Japanese nationals on Tuesday. While Chinese officials have yet to announce further measures, they are reportedly open to the possibility.

Asked at a briefing on Tuesday whether China would stop issuing visas to other countries besides South Korea and Japan, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, “Regrettably, a handful of countries, in disregard of science and facts, have insisted on taking discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China. China firmly rejects this and will take reciprocal measures.”

Wang spoke in a typical Chinese fashion, not clearly revealing one’s intention but still giving some insight into what could happen. In other words, it seems Beijing is leaving open the possibility that similar measures could be applied to other countries as well.

Also that day, Chinese media reported the government’s decision to suspend visa issuances to South Koreans and Japanese nationals as a “first step,” possibly implying that they will take further measures.

In particular, the possibility of China adopting additional retaliatory policies for other countries increased when Beijing decided to target not just South Korea, but also Japan by suspending visa issuances.

While South Korea stopped issuing visas to Chinese nationals before Beijing’s measure, Japan did not stop issuing visas but only made PCR tests mandatory for Chinese nationals entering the country.

This shows that China’s decision was not based solely on the logic of “an eye for an eye” or simple reciprocity.

As a result, other countries like Japan that have also taken similar measures against Chinese nationals could be subject to additional retaliatory measures by Beijing.

However, as of now, only South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have made PCR tests mandatory for all Chinese arrivals.

The European Union recently instructed its 27 member states to strengthen quarantine measures for visitors coming from China, but recommended random testing rather than mandatory PCR tests for all Chinese arrivals. Similarly, the US is also not conducting PCR tests on Chinese arrivals. As such, it is possible that China will adopt less harsh measures for these countries rather than suspending visa issuances altogether.

Besides Beijing’s official explanation of taking “reciprocal” actions, China's internal dissatisfaction with Seoul also seems to have influenced its decision to make South Korea its first target of retaliation.

Recently, many articles and comments have been posted on Chinese official and social media that express dissatisfaction with the new quarantine measures various countries have adopted against China. However, only articles and posts criticizing the South Korean government’s measures have been widely circulated. Some articles have even been read over 100 million times, strongly increasing public outrage in China against South Korea.

For example, when Chinese nationals arrive at Incheon Airport, they have to wear a yellow card around their necks. In response, Chinese netizens lashed out, criticizing that only Chinese nationals have to wear the card and not other foreigners. Netizens say the move is insulting and are strongly denouncing that they are being treated like “criminals.”

There have also been strong criticisms about the quarantine facilities in South Korea, where Chinese nationals must go if they test positive after arriving in the country. Some say the facilities are subpar and that hot water is not provided.

China’s state-run Global Times shared such stories through an editorial that was published around midnight on Tuesday, shortly after Chinese authorities announced the visa issuance suspension targeting South Korean nationals. The article demanded an explanation from the South Korean government for its treatment of Chinese nationals.

By Choi Hyun-june, Beijing correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]