In this Oct 8, 2019 photo, tourists visit the Ruins of St Paul's in South China's Macao Special Administrative Region. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

MACAO - China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) will ban entry of its residents in the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan who had traveled to countries and regions outside China within 21 days, starting Wednesday, according to an instruction by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng.

The public health authority of Macao can decide if certain above-mentioned people can be exempted from the ban based on public interests, according to the instruction made public Tuesday.

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In addition, foreigners who are not Macao residents and have stayed in the mainland for 21 days can only be allowed to enter Macao with prior approval on condition that they are coming for a family reunion or have other close relations with the city.