As U.S. airlines plan to temporarily stop flights to China and the federal government imposes new restrictions on entering the country because of the coronavirus, Puget Sound-area businesses will be affected.
“China is our number one export market,” said Man Wang, of the Washington State China Relations Council.
While shipments of goods are unaffected, business meetings are being canceled.
Next week, a trade delegation from China was scheduled to visit Seattle.
"I just got the notice from them last night that they're going to cancel the trip because of the virus," Wang said.
U.S. organizers of the meeting are instead trying to find masks and coveralls to send to their business partners in China.
Amazon is restricting flights to China, writing in a memo to employees that travel to and within China must be "business critical" and approved by a vice president.
At Visa Services Northwest and Passport Office, a Seattle company that helps visitors to China, Vincent Antonino had a quiet work day.
Normally, appointments are booked all day.
Instead, the office was empty.
“Very slow, it feels like travel worldwide has screeched to a halt,” Antonino said. “We’re doing less than 5% of normal business right now.”
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