According to the press briefing held by the State Council inter-agency task force on 27 April, there had been 107 infections caused by importation since 21 March, accounting for 88.4% of confirmed local cases reported in China. It was stressed at the briefing that it is necessary to step up prevention and control of imported cases, and a 14-day medical observation at designated places will continue to be implemented for all international arrivals.

Citing the recent COVID-19 trajectory in South Asia, Wang Bin, senior supervisor with the NHC Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control, warned of the significant risk of importation at China's border areas compounded by a lack of health care providers and medical workers there. In response, the NHC dispatched a 16-strong expert team to the southwestern region on 21 April to guide local control efforts and help lay out plans at border areas in Yunan, Guangxi and Tibet.

To forestall case importation via land borders, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) has taken a series of measures in collaboration with neighboring countries. Liu Haitao, Director General of the NIA Department of Border Control and Management, said that the NIA has established information sharing mechanisms and held more than 200 bilateral talks and meetings via video link and other channels with neighboring countries in a bid to build stronger synergy in the fight against COVID-19. Meanwhile, the NIA has also worked with neighboring countries to ramp up border inspection at points of exit and entry, and has set up a coordinated mechanism for fast-track verification and repatriation of illegal crossers to stem the spread of the virus.