Over 10,000 Chinese travelers safely return from UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, other countries: spokesperson

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 10,000 Chinese travelers have safely and orderly returned from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, a foreign ministry spokesperson said here Tuesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing that in recent days, the Chinese foreign ministry, in coordination with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, has arranged for domestic airlines to significantly increase capacity and urgently dispatch flights to the Middle East to pick up Chinese passengers stranded there.

Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have coordinated with foreign authorities to support the operation of Chinese flights, promptly issued safety advisories and flight schedules, and enhanced care and assistance for stranded passengers, Guo said.

Noting that the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has led to the partial suspension of normal operations at airports in the Middle East, Guo said the Chinese foreign ministry once again advises Chinese citizens to temporarily refrain from traveling to countries and regions around Iran affected by the military conflict.

Chinese embassies and consulates in the relevant countries will make every effort to provide necessary assistance to Chinese nationals in need, he said. ■