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As more and more illegal Chinese immigrants use Ecuador as a transit point to reach the United States, this American country has announced that it will suspend visa exemption for Chinese citizens. As more and more illegal Chinese immigrants use Ecuador as a transit point to reach the United States, this American country has announced that it will suspend visa exemption for Chinese citizens.

According to Reuters and Voice of America, Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday (June 18, 2024) saying that due to the increase in illegal immigration from China, Ecuador has suspended its visa-free agreement with China. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that many Chinese tourists have stayed in Ecuador for more than the 90-day period, and some may use Ecuador as a springboard to other countries.

The Niskanen Center, a Washington-based think tank, cited official data from the Ecuadorian government as saying that Chinese citizens entered Ecuador 48,381 times last year, but only left 24,240 times. Ecuador is one of only two mainland countries in the Americas that offers visa-free entry to Chinese citizens, the other being Suriname. Many Chinese will first go to Ecuador and then trek north through Central America to enter the United States, a method known as "walking the line."