Ecuador stops waiving visas for Chinese nationals because of an increase in irregular migration

By GONZALO SOLANO and DIDI TANG
Associated Press

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador has announced the suspension of an agreement with China that had waived visas for Chinese citizens traveling to the South American country. The government on Tuesday cited a “worrying” increase in irregular migration. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the suspension of the bilateral agreement is temporary and it will start on July 1. It added that the measure was taken after authorities saw that around 50% of Chinese nationals entering Ecuador didn’t leave the country “through regular routes” nor within the permitted 90 days they were allowed to stay under the waiver agreement.