China-Africa relations rocked by alleged racism over Covid-19
Africans in Guangzhou evicted from hotels and had passports confiscated, officials say
People wearing masks in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Video posted on social media over the weekend showed people of African descent being evicted, sleeping rough and being refused service in shops © Alex Plaveski/EPA/Shutterstock
April 13, 2020 1:45 pm by David Pilling in London and Sue-Lin Wong in Hong Kong
Sino-African relations have been plunged into crisis after African officials reacted furiously to allegations that their nationals were being routinely discriminated against in Guangzhou, southern China, as alleged potential “carriers” of coronavirus.
Video posted on social media over the weekend showed people of African descent being evicted from homes and hotels, sleeping rough and being refused service in shops. Widespread reports alleged others have been forced into quarantine despite testing negative for Covid-19.
African ambassadors in Beijing wrote a letter to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seen by the Financial Times, condemning what they said was “the persistent harassment and humiliation of African nationals”. Families with young children had been forced to sleep on the streets and passports had been confiscated, they said.
Africans in Guangzhou evicted from hotels and had passports confiscated, officials say
People wearing masks in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Video posted on social media over the weekend showed people of African descent being evicted, sleeping rough and being refused service in shops © Alex Plaveski/EPA/Shutterstock
April 13, 2020 1:45 pm by David Pilling in London and Sue-Lin Wong in Hong Kong
Sino-African relations have been plunged into crisis after African officials reacted furiously to allegations that their nationals were being routinely discriminated against in Guangzhou, southern China, as alleged potential “carriers” of coronavirus.
Video posted on social media over the weekend showed people of African descent being evicted from homes and hotels, sleeping rough and being refused service in shops. Widespread reports alleged others have been forced into quarantine despite testing negative for Covid-19.
African ambassadors in Beijing wrote a letter to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seen by the Financial Times, condemning what they said was “the persistent harassment and humiliation of African nationals”. Families with young children had been forced to sleep on the streets and passports had been confiscated, they said.