China's new foreign minister Qin Gang expressed concern over South Korea's tightened quarantine measures on travelers from China during his first phone talks with Seoul's top diplomat, Park Jin.

In a post about the phoner updated on its website on Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry made the unusual move of revealing that its minister expressed such concerns in the first meet-and-greet between the two.

The post said that Qin conveyed Beijing's concerns over the entry restrictions and expressed hope that South Korea will assume an objective and science-based attitude.

According to Seoul's foreign ministry, Park explained to his counterpart that the measures are based on scientific grounds.

As the foreign ministry's former spokesperson, Qin was known for his sharp remarks representing China's hardline views.

Beijing has vowed to retaliate with corresponding measures against countries that have stepped up quarantine measures for incoming visitors from China, such as Seoul’s mandate requiring COVID-19 testing both before boarding and after arrival as well as the restricted issuance of short-term visas.

Source: KBS World Radio