A billboard warning people that illegally crossing border is banned in Wanding, a town borders Myanmar in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Photos: Courtesy of Wang Fanhua

 
Several border cities in Southwest China have conducted drills featuring simulated illegal border crossings in order to further enhance efforts to prevent imported cases of COVID-19.

The Zhai'an border checkpoint in Chongzuo, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has been conducting drills to more effectively deal with imported cases of the virus from other countries, the China News Service reported Friday.

Apart from carrying out security and sterilization, the check point, which borders Vietnam, is also working with local police to carry out anti-riot drills to practice defending against those who may try to rush the checkpoint.

The Fangcheng check point also in Guangxi launched a drill to simulate an emergency situation in which "the crew on a cargo ship from a high-risk country are suspected of having COVID-19."

The city of Pingxiang held a drill simulating 200 Chinese tourists lining up to enter China from Vietnam via the border checkpoint, with another 400 on the way later in the day. 

On April 17, Baise held a drill in which the local joint headquarters had to launch an emergency response to 10 foreigners attempting to cross the China-Vietnam border illegally.

Illegal border crossings have been on the rise amid the worsening pandemic situation outside China, according to a source in Lincang in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, which borders Myanmar's Shan State.

A drill reacting to mass illegal entries will be held on Friday and Saturday in counties bordering Myanmar, the source told the Global Times Thursday.

China's central government has sent a guidance team to Yunnan Province as the province faces growing pressure from imported cases of COVID-19, according to a statement by the provincial government website on Thursday.

As of Thursday, Yunnan Province has reported a total of 10 imported cases of COVID-19, with 8 already treated and discharged. The neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has reported 1 imported case.