BEIJING, November 9 (INP): A spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin reiterated that the pre-departure nucleic acid testing for China-bound travelers has been essential in preventing epidemic importation.  

However, none of the existing test methods can be 100 percent accurate at the moment. According to the competent authorities, IgM anti-body test results are stable, and the passengers' test results can be a lot more accurate if the test methods are combined.  

That's why, the spokesperson added: “We now need IgM anti-body testing, too. We tried this in some countries earlier, and the effect was good. Similar measures have been taken by some other countries, too. 

The epidemic situation overseas is very serious. Every time a passenger traveling to China transits in one more place, he or she will face greater risks of infection. Judging from previous imported cases, many people who had tested negative before traveling got infected later, the number of which accounted for nearly half of the imported cases.  

Therefore, an additional test in the transit place is necessary for epidemic prevention and control. At the same time, if you really need to make cross-border trips, we advise you to properly plan your route, always choose direct flights where possible and avoid transfers.” 

The spokesperson further stated that as the epidemic situation overseas is getting worse, China is facing greater risks of imported cases.  

In October, the number of imported cases stood at 515, up by 45 percent compared with that in September. In the meantime, there were also some domestic cases.  

Under such circumstances, we have drawn upon other countries' practices and further strengthened pre-departure prevention and control measures for travelers coming to China.  

This helps not only preserve the hard-won epidemic containment results in China, but also minimize the risk of cross infection during the travel and safeguard people's health and security. 

Commenting on US’s State Department’s decision, revoking the designation of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a "terrorist organization, the Spokesperson said, China deplores and firmly opposes the decision.  

“The East Turkestan Islamic Movement is a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council and is recognized as such by the international community. It has long been engaging in terrorist and violent activities, causing heavy casualties and property losses, and posing serious threats to security and stability in China, the region and beyond.  

Fighting the ETIM is a consensus of the international community and an important part of the international endeavor against terrorism. 

As a co-sponsor of the ETIM's listing in the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council, the United States has flip-flopped on the designation of ETIM as a terrorist organization, once again exposing the current U.S. administration's double standard on counter-terrorism and its repulsive practice of condoning terrorist groups as it sees fit.  

Terrorism is terrorism. The United States should immediately correct its mistakes, refrain from whitewashing terrorist organizations, and stop backpedaling on international counter-terrorism cooperation.” 

INP/JAVED