China's immigration authorities will continue to support the business and manufacturing recovery of enterprises and individuals at home and abroad, and to meet the reasonable need for cross-border travel, an official said on Monday.

Liu Haitao, director general of the Department of Frontier Inspection and Management under the National Immigration Administration (NIA), made the remarks at a press conference on COVID-19 prevention and control.

China's immigration authorities process exit and entry certificates in a timely manner for people who need to travel overseas for necessary or urgent matters, Liu said.

Such matters include COVID-19 prevention and treatment work, medical assistance, the transportation of relief materials and the transportation of production and daily necessities. Travel is considered necessary where individuals are traveling for employment or to participate in key engineering projects, business, scientific research, overseas study, examinations or academic exchanges. Travel is also considered necessary or urgent when an individual is leaving to seek medical treatment, care for a critically ill patient, attend the next of kin's funeral, wedding ceremony or graduation ceremony, for family reunion, to look after the elderly, children or pregnant women, or for any other overseas emergency, according to the official.

For extremely urgent matters, express services will be provided, Liu said.

He cautioned that the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, the virus is constantly mutating, there are a number of imported cases, and there remains a big risk of infection during trips overseas.

China has temporarily suspended outbound group travel for tourism purposes, and does not encourage individuals to travel overseas for sightseeing or to visit friends, Liu said.

People with relevant travel plans are advised to fully consider the relatively high risks and uncertainties that come with overseas travel amid the pandemic, and to refrain from unnecessary and non-urgent outbound travel, he said.