China has decided to tighten regulations on health checks for foreign arrivals, according to a joint statement issued by five national departments demanding strengthened efforts on entry inspection and quarantine.

The newly released measure was issued by five departments: China's Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice as well as the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

It says people uncooperative with customs during entry, including hiding or forging information about their health statement, and rejecting related quarantine measures, might be convicted or punished for impeding frontier health and quarantine.

The measure was introduced after over 120 cases of coronavirus were diagnosed among foreign arrivals to China in at least eight provinces.

Several imported patients have already been investigated after they or their relatives misreported health conditions and travel history.