The foreign ministry of Ecuador announced on Tuesday that it was essentially reintroducing the need for a visa for visitors from China, citing a rise in the country’s irregular migrant flows.
In a social media announcement, the ministry announced that it was rescinding a deal with China that had exempted traveler visa requirements.
Many Chinese tourists, according to the government, had stayed longer than the allowed ninety days, and some of them may have used Ecuador as a springboard to other parts of the area.
According to the ministry, about 50% of foreign tourists in recent months failed to depart the country on schedule via the usual methods.
When questioned on Tuesday over Ecuador’s decision to suspend visa waivers, Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated that China is adamantly against any kind of human smuggling.
Lin stated at a routine news briefing that, “The agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Ecuador, since it took effect in August 2016, has played an important and positive role in promoting cross-border travel and practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries.”
According to Lin, China’s law enforcement agencies are cooperating with relevant nations to combat people smuggling, repatriate illegal immigrants, and uphold law and order during cross-border transit.
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The number of Chinese nationals entering Ecuador without registering their departure has increased since 2022.
According to the foreign ministry, between 2023 and 2024, 66,189 Chinese visitors visited Ecuador; however, only 34,209 were documented as departing, implying that almost 32,000 have not been officially registered as having left the country.
According to the ministry, a significant number of Chinese nationals who arrive in Ecuador are destined for the United States, primarily via the Darien Gap.
