In  spite of its long-held zero-covid strategy, the Chinese government has announced the limited repatriation of students from Pakistan, Thailand and Sri Lanka, who were enrolled in Chinese universities. Particularly Pakistan-China relations are of importance, given that more than 28.000 Pakistanis were studying in China before COVID-19 and that Pakistanis constitute the third largest group of international students in China. The first chartered flight took place on 20 June and included a special operation for 90 students, all from Pakistan, who were the first to register to resume their studies in China.

It has been reported that students returning now were told they had to bear their own quarantine costs upon arrival. The general ban on foreign students entering the country is continuing and those who have been able to return under these “special agreements” are still not allowed to travel freely within the country.

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