BỌN SẴN SÀNG LIẾM VÁI TRUNG CỘNG Ở EVERYWHERE- THẰNG KHỐN CHỦ TỊCH HỘI BÁC SĨ ÚC LẠI DỞ HƠI CHỐNG LỊNH KIỂM SOÁT COVID VỚI HÀNH KHÁCH TRUNG CỘNG VÀO ÚC - CORONA WUHAN ĐÃ GIẾT MẤY TRIỆU NGƯỜI MÀ CHÚNG VẪN CỨ MIỆT MÀI LIẾM VÁI TRUNG CỘNG./-Mt68

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China threatens 'payback' for any country that's introduced mandatory Covid testing against their travellers - 

two days after Australia announced it was bringing in the change China has threatened countries who impose Covid testing on Chinese people Australia introduced mandatory testing on travellers from China Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he's not worried by the threats made from China&DOMINIC GIANNINI ALEX MITCHELL IN CANBERRA FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS JESSE HYLAND FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA PUBLISHED: 12:13 AEDT, 4 January 2023 | UPDATED: 15:21 AEDT, 4 January 2023

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he's not concerned about China threatening retaliatory action with new COVID testing requirements due to come into effect.

Travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macau will need to return a negative COVID test within 48 hours of departure from Thursday despite Australia's chief medical officer recommending against the new measure.

Australia joins the U.S., Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Canada India and Japan in introducing mandatory testing.

China criticised the measures, threatening to retaliate with reciprocal measures.

Australia has introduced mandatory Covid testing for travellers arriving from China, Hong Kong and Macau (stock image)

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the entry restrictions targeting China lacked scientific basis.The treasurer also maintained the measures were not discriminatory despite no new COVID-19 variants being discovered in China, saying the decision was cautionary with Beijing not being forthcoming with data.

'It's about a part of the world where we've got concerns about transparency ... and where there is quite an extraordinarily large wave of COVID,' he said.

'We do need to make sure that we've got the best possible surveillance of strains as they emerge but also waves as they emerge and become more difficult to manage.

'That's really one of the key considerations here as we put these responsible restrictions in place.'

Treasurer Jim Chalmers (pictured) said the government's decision to enforce mandatory Covid testing was cautionary despite conflicting advice from Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly

Australian Medical Association President Steve Robson says a genuine strategy rather than a 'series of political responses' is needed to keep Australians safe from Covid (stock image)

Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the government needed to explain why it didn't follow expert advice after Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly advised there were no public health reasons for the measure.

'This government made a commitment to the Australian public that we were going to learn to live with COVID,' she told Sky News.

'A decision that has been based without any medical advice or medical necessity shows we aren't really pursuing that.

'It's a breach of faith with the Australian public about that commitment to say we were going to get on with our lives.'

Australian Medical Association President Steve Robson says a genuine strategy rather than a 'series of political responses' is needed to keep Australians safe.

'We want to see a comprehensive strategy that's informed by public health practice, to just say, 'what needs to be done to protect Australians at this vulnerable time?'' he told AAP.