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· Africans are agitated over racist mistreatment by the Chinese at Guangzhou, an important province of China
The second bout of virus cases in China has been largely attributed to people arriving from overseas.
Africans are agitated over racist mistreatment by the Chinese at Guangzhou, an important province of China. According to news coming from the US, the main targets of the Chinese authorities were African-Americans. Some reports from the US, which www.trendsnafrica.com could not confirm said that in Guangzhou police ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin. The security forces also made it mandatory testing and self-quarantine of persons who had come in contact with Africans. The US advisory captioned “Discrimination against African-Americans in Guangzhou” has also narrated how hotels and other establishments are refusing to do business with African Americans.
Importantly, there is an increase in the Covid-19 cases in Guangzhou in the recent days, which would have compelled the Chinese authorities to go for such a harsh measure. What that irritated the Africans is the racist undertones of the measures targeted at a particular, whereas the virus spreads irrespective of one’s colour, race or place of birth. Importantly, Africa as a continent has reported far less coronavirus cases than ay other continent as also very low deaths.
The second bout of virus cases in China has been largely attributed to people arriving from overseas. A rumour was spread in the province that 300,000 black people in Guangzhou were setting off a second epidemic. It is reported that the responses from police and health officials were triggered by the rumour. African diplomats in Beijing met with Chinese officials and expressed their concern and condemnation of the incidences, which shook the confidence of the Africans in the Chinese administration and reminded the officials about the long and cherished relationship between the two regions.
The African emissaries said that Africa all through remained a friend of China and during the early days of the pandemic, many African students responding positively toward Chinese call for not to panic and to remain where they were. It sent a good will message that they were with the guest country at the time of crisis and rejected their home country’s appeal for evacuation. The present racist approach was totally uncalled for and intolerable, especially when the economic and investment relations with the two regions are at an all time high. Member countries of African Union also condemned the racist treatment to the Africasn residing in China.
In the meantime, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has clarified that the country’s most urgent task is to prevent overseas import of the virus. At the same time, it acknowledged the possible misunderstandings in the implementation of measures, adding that China treats all foreigners equally.
