MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2020) Moscow's decision to suspend visa-free group travel with China over coronavirus concerns applies strictly to the Chinese citizens who are visiting Russia in groups, while Russians are not restricted from traveling to China, although they are being strongly advised to refrain from such visits, the Russian government's office told Sputnik.
"The order implies measures against Chinese citizens only: Chinese citizens' entry to Russia as part of group trips has been temporarily suspended, as well as the issuance of work visas for Chinese citizens. We do not restrict Russian citizens from traveling to China, but we strongly recommend that they refrain from those," the government office said.
The novel coronavirus was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread to more than 20 countries. The virus has already killed 259 people in China and infected about 12,000 others, prompting authorities from various countries to evacuate their nationals from the virus-affected areas.
