China urged to ease coronavirus curbs on foreigners and speak out against racism

China has been urged to remove travel restrictions on foreigners by businesses and diplomats and send a strong message against xenophobia in the country. Foreign travel has been severely restricted as part of the country’s measures to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 cases. There have also been reports of foreigners being denied service in restaurants and shops and of Africans being singled out in the southern city of Guangzhou. Last month the government grounded most international passenger flights as part of its measures to prevent a second wave of infections and banned most foreigners from entering the country, including those with visas and residence permits. It also tightened quarantine requirements, mandating all inbound travellers, including diplomats, to undergo a 14-day quarantine at designated places. Exodus from Wuhan as Chinese mark end of lockdown Taking a further step, China’s foreign ministry on April 3 advised foreign diplomats not to return to Beijing and suspend personnel rotation until May 15, after a number of foreign diplomats became infected. Several diplomatic sources complained about the requirement as it would have disrupted personnel changes in their diplomatic systems. “We understand it is for the purpose of containing the virus and we have had good cooperation with the Chinese side to help combat the virus, but the move is an interference into our internal issues. It is disproportional,” said one of the diplomats in Beijing. Another diplomat said China should guarantee freedom of movement under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. “We do not require privileged treatment. We just want the way Chinese diplomats are treated overseas to be reciprocated.” They also raised concerns about the discriminatory remarks and xenophobic behaviour. In recent weeks there have been reports of foreign diplomats, businesspeople and students being refused service at hotels and fitness clubs in Beijing and other cities. In Guangzhou, which is home to a sizeable African community, there was a surge in complaints that they faced racial discrimination and inhumane treatment amid rumours of a coronavirus outbreak within their communities. “What happened to African people in Guangzhou was very concerning,” said a diplomat who said it had been “very counterproductive” to China’s call for global solidarity in the virus combat. The authorities in the city and the foreign ministry have dismissed the claims and insisted that China will not tolerate any form of racism and discrimination. Kenya rules out evacuation for citizens in Chinese city of Guangzhou Chen Xiaodong, the assistant minister of foreign affairs, told to more than 20 ambassadors from African nations in a meeting on Monday that the Guangdong authorities were “improving measures and would gradually lift health management [restrictions] over African nationals except those who were infected, their close contacts and suspected cases”. But one of the diplomats said the foreign ministry’s statements were not enough. He said a clear condemnation of xenophobia and call to oppose racist discrimination was needed from senior leaders. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has sent a letter to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, calling for a rethink of the blanket travel ban and for foreigners working and living in China to be allowed to return. Joerg Wuttke, the chamber’s president, said the blanket ban was “unprecedented” and was the biggest problem for businesses trying to resume operations because many executives were unable to return and were separated from their families. “We need these people. These people were here for a reason, and the reason in most cases is these are specialists in hi-tech areas,” he said at a briefing earlier this week. Paul Sives, chairman of the chamber’s southwest branch, said the entry ban has had an impact on the branch’s operation as half of its six-member board cannot return to China right now. “We have one in America, one in Italy and one in Switzerland. We are hopeful we can resume our chapter meeting in person at some point, but this would take quite some time,” he said. Wuttke also said the travel restrictions had hit international schools and said in some cases half their teachers had been unable to return to China. Sives added that many have not yet been told when they can reopen. Chen Xiaodong, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, told more than 20 ambassadors from African nations in a meeting on Monday that the Guangdong authorities were “improving measures and would gradually lift health management [restrictions] over African nationals except those who were infected, their close contacts and suspected cases”. The diplomat said the foreign ministry’s statements are not enough. He said a clear message to condemn xenophobia by senior leaders in the central government and a clear call to its citizens to oppose racist discrimination but show solidarity is very much in need.