An Air China aircraft which landed at the Malta International Airport was a stopover for a government delegation returning from Brazil and had no passengers who stayed in Malta.
The Boeing 747-400 landed in Malta on Tuesday morning and took off in the afternoon. On board was Chinese vice-president Wang Qishan with a delegation returning from the inauguration of new Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva' in Brasilia.
The aircraft stopped in Malta for a crew rest before continuing on its route to Beijing, sources said. Vice-president Qishan met with Chinese embassy officials during the stopover period, they added.
An airport spokesperson confirmed the Air China flight “was a PRC [People’s Republic of China] state flight".
The sight of an Air China plane on the MIA runway sparked interest, given that there are no direct flights between Malta and China.
COVID concerns
China has been at the centre of attention recently as COVID cases have spiralled out of control in the country, following a relaxation of its zero-COVID policy.
Along with easing virus containment measures, the Chinese government has also made it easier for Chinese citizens to travel abroad again, sparking concerns about so-called superspreaders sparking a new wave of COVID infections.
A growing number of countries have imposed restrictions on travellers coming from China, to protect against that possibility. France, Spain and Italy all require travellers from China to present a negative COVID-19 test, as do the USA and UK.
European countries have so far failed to agree on a unified response. They are set to meet this week to discuss the issue, with incoming EU presidency holder Sweden saying it was "seeking a common policy for the entire EU when it comes to the introduction of possible entry restrictions".
Malta has opted to not introduce any restrictions for travellers from China, saying it is "assessing the situation and in direct communication with the European Commission and ECDC [European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control] for any actions which need to be taken."
“At present, the European Health Security Council is not yet recommending compulsory testing for travellers from China,” a government spokesperson said.