BEIJING, (Reuters) – China has placed strict travel restrictions at its ports to limit COVID-19 risk. This is in response to a new domestic epidemic that broke out less than 100 days before the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

On Thursday, the National Immigration Administration (NIA), stated that it will continue to advise citizens against traveling abroad for non-urgent or non-essential purposes.

A $255 billion gap in global tourism spending has resulted from the dramatic decline in Chinese tourists since last year.

China’s immigration authorities also pledged to enforce COVID-19 restrictions on movement for people participating in the Winter Olympics.

China is determined to avoid any outbreaks of disease among those arriving in China from other countries for the Winter Olympics. According to a state TV report that cited Huang Chun as an official with the Beijing organizing committee.

Huang explained that officials will work to ensure there are no virus outbreaks during the Games.

COVID-19 restrictions are being tightened in China’s capital, ahead of next week’s major meeting of top-ranking Communist Party members.

More than 700 local transmitted illnesses with confirmed symptoms in China have been reported since October in 19 provinces. This has triggered an avalanche of restrictions on travel and leisure under Beijing’s zero-tolerance policy.

(Graphic: Major China COVID-19 outbreaks in 2021, https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/CHINA/dwpkrerrdvm/chart.png)

Officials claim that many cases were found in China’s northwest, as well as a cluster of cases in Heilongjiang in the northeast, can be traced to outside sources.

The immigration authority stated that strict controls will be implemented for cargo and flights as well as ships, as well as at ports of entry.

The NIA said that they will modify measures for foreigners entering China, in line with the COVID-19 changes. However, it did not give any details.

Although some countries no longer require quarantine for inbound travelers who are vaccinated, China insists on quarantine for all people entering the country from overseas.