Ecuador has made the decision to suspend an agreement with China that previously allowed Chinese citizens to travel to the country without needing a visa. The announcement was made by Ecuador's Foreign Ministry, citing concerns over a significant rise in irregular migration. The suspension of the bilateral agreement is set to take effect on July 1, and it is described as a temporary measure.
The Foreign Ministry highlighted that the decision to suspend the visa waiver agreement was prompted by observations that approximately half of the Chinese nationals entering Ecuador did not depart the country through authorized channels. Furthermore, many of these individuals exceeded the 90-day limit that they were permitted to stay under the agreement.
As a result of this suspension, Chinese citizens will now be required to obtain visas before traveling to Ecuador. However, specific details regarding the visa application process were not provided by the Foreign Ministry at this time.
This development comes in the context of a broader trend of increased migration from China to various destinations, including the United States. Since 2023, individuals from China have been among the leading nationalities of migrants arriving in the United States, reflecting a global pattern of shifting migration flows.
