China records sharp rise in imported cases, some Chinese target Africans

Hindustan Times
Dated :April 13, 2020
Sutirtho Patranobis

China reported 97 new imported Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the highest in a single day with more than half of the cases reports said stemming from a Russian flight to Shanghai the day before.
No death was reported on Saturday in China.
The sharp rise in imported cases in China daily over the weekend was preceded by several African ambassadors in China writing to the country’s foreign ministry to address their concerns over the reported discrimination of Africans in the southern city of Guangzhou hours after African Union Commission lodged a formal protest on the issue in Johannesburg with Chinese diplomats.
On Saturday, the African Union Commission Chairperson also tweeted that his office had summoned the Chinese envoy to the AU over the recent reports.
“My Office invited the Chinese Ambassador to the AU, Mr Liu Yuxi, to express our extreme concern at allegations of maltreatment of Africans in Guangzhou plus called for immediate remedial measures in line with our excellent relations. The African group in Beijing is also engaging with the government,” AUC chair Moussa Faki Mahamat posted on Twitter.
The ambassadors’ note, according to a Reuters report, highlighted a number of reported incidents, including that Africans were being ejected from hotels in the middle of the night, the seizure of passports, and threats of visa revocation, arrest or deportation.
The US embassy in China had also issued a security alert on Saturday for African-Americans living and working in after several reports said members of the large black community in the city were being targeted and harassed amid Covid-19 fears.
Reports of Africans being targeted in Guangzhou comes in the backdrop of rising number of imported Covid-19 cases in China.
“The figure indicates that the risk brought about by imported cases continues to increase, putting pressure on the cities of entry,” Mi Feng, spokesperson of the national health commission NHC), said at a press conference.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 82,052 by Saturday, including 1,138 patients who were still being treated, 77,575 people who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,339 people who died of the disease.
The Chinese government denied targeting any community.
Guangzhou treats all foreign personnel equally and foreign residents should also abide by the local epidemic prevention regulations, according to officials at a press conference Sunday.
“We take the same prevention and control measures for all personnel entering Guangzhou regardless of their nationality, race and gender,” said Liu Baochun, director of the municipal foreign affairs office, at the press conference.
“Guangzhou is an open international metropolis and treats all foreign personnel equally. We oppose all forms of differentiation for a specific group of people,” Liu said.
There are about 80,000 foreign nationals living in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s industrial powerhouse Guangdong province.
According to official numbers, there were 15,000 Africans living in the city. However, thousands more travel in and out of the city. Egypt, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the major sources of African expatriates. Most are engaged in trade or study in the city.
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