CNN —Ecuador is temporarily suspending a visa waiver agreement with China, citing evidence of irregular migration flows of Chinese citizens through the small South American country. A statement from the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that about half of Chinese citizens who entered the country in recent months did not leave through “regular routes” or within the 90 days they were permitted to stay. In 2023, Ecuador documented 48,381 entries by Chinese nationals and about 24,240 exits, leaving a difference of 24,141 – the highest number of any nationality, according to data from the national statistics institute. By contrast, Ecuador documented around 13,000 Chinese nationals entering in 2022. Ecuador said it is committed to the security of visitors to prevent them from being victims of human trafficking as well as ensuring “adequate national immigration control.”Asked about Ecuador’s decision to suspend visa waivers, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Since the China-Ecuador Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement came into effect in August 2016, it has played a positive role in bilateral personnel exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields.”Lin added that China “firmly opposes any form of smuggling activities” and that its law enforcement agencies have “vigorously cracked down on illegal crimes that impede border management.”

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Persons: zou xian ”, ”, Lin Jian, ” Lin, China “ Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, Ecuador Locations: Ecuador, China, Quito