China has partially relaxed visa suspension for some travellers from Japan and South Korea, the Kyodo news reported on Monday, a shift in its retaliatory measures to the two nations tightening their borders after COVID-19 surged in visitors from China.

Beijing has issued a small number of visas for some diplomatic, public and emergency business travellers after the suspension, to prepare for the normalisation of transportation when the two countries ease border controls, Kyodo said, citing a Chinese government official. (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Tom Hogue)