Canada’s travel advisory for China was issued on Thursday ahead of a travel ban that was expected to go into effect in the coming days.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the advisory, which is being issued as part of the country’s plan to strengthen travel safety, is “the right thing to do.”
The travel advisory was issued to all Canadians travelling to China, including Canadians living in the U.S. and Canadians living abroad.
The announcement was made in Beijing by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said the decision came in response to the “unprecedented” and “dangerous” situation in the South China Sea.
Wang also announced that Canada will begin working with other countries to provide assistance to the affected nations and urged all Canadians to stay safe and vigilant.
The United States and the European Union have issued travel advisories for China, while the European Commission issued a travel warning for China on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, Wang reiterated that the Canadian government would “not be bound by the Chinese government’s statements,” and urged Canadians to avoid traveling to China.
In an emailed statement to CBC News, the Canadian embassy in Beijing said: “We are confident that the travel advisory will remain in place for the time being.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation and advise Canadians and visitors accordingly.”
China is one of the world’s largest economies and the world and the Americas’ largest trading partner.
The United States is the second-largest economy in the world behind China, and is Canada’s biggest trading partner with more than $10 billion in annual trade.
China’s economy has grown rapidly in recent years, overtaking the United States in GDP per capita and surpassing the European countries in per capita income.
Chinese state media said on Thursday that the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom would conduct its own investigation into the matter, and urged people to “avoid all contact with or dealings with people who are involved in the issue.”
Canada has faced criticism for its decision to lift travel restrictions for U.K. citizens on Wednesday following the death of a British tourist in China.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said the department has been in touch with the U in regards to the matter and that Canada remains “committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians in China.”
“It is important to stress that this is not an order from China, this is the Chinese Government and the Chinese embassy in the UK,” said the spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We can confirm that we are following the advice of our international partners and have offered to provide them with any assistance they may require to strengthen the countrys travel safety system.
We are not making any changes to the travel advice for Canadians currently in China and will continue making that available.”
