Guangzhou refutes rumors of mistreating foreigners

A Nigerian trader examines underwear at a wholesale market in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. (Photo: CFP)

GUANGZHOU - 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.

Anti-virus enforcement apply to foreigners with no discrimination in China: Embassy

The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria released a statement on its website to reaffirm China's stance on handling African nationals in China's Guangzhou for epidemic prevention and control, and also clarified a misinterpretation of the Chinese diplomat bowing and apologizing to a Nigerian politician, saying the ambassador was actually looking at a mobile phone on a table.

The statement read that "On April 10, Ambassador Zhou Pingjian met with Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria at his instance. During the meeting, the Ambassador was offered to watch a mobile phone video clip about the purported improper treatment on some Nigerian citizens in Guangzhou, China."

The Ambassador made it clear that judging from the one video clip on that mobile phone the approach of the relevant epidemic prevention and control personnel was not inappropriate. 

"We treat all foreign nationals equally in China," the statement read. "We reject differential treatment and have zero tolerance for discrimination. To prevent and control the pandemic, we need understanding, support, and cooperation from both Chinese and foreign nationals in China. 

"We urge all foreigners in China to strictly observe local anti-epidemic regulations. China values its friendly relations with Nigeria. The Embassy stands ready to keep in communication with the Nigerian side in this regard."

A picture appeared to show the Chinese Ambassador bowing to Gbajabiamila, prompting some Chinese web users on Sunday to allege the body language of the ambassador showed China admitted "wrongdoing" which is not the case in fact.

Such an apology angered certain Chinese net users who felt such body language harmed China's dignity in front of foreign politicians. 

The statement clarified that "To keep social distance during the pandemic, the said mobile phone with the video clip was placed on the tea table. Any other interpretation of the scene does not conform to what was actually there during the meeting."

Guangzhou treats all inbound personnel equally: official

Inbound passengers wait in line for health checks at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, March 28, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

GUANGZHOU - 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.

Liu noted that the city improved its service mechanism to avoid misunderstandings or improper behaviors due to poor communication and other reasons in the implementation of health management services.

"We also hope that foreign residents in Guangzhou can strictly abide by local epidemic prevention regulations and work together with us to do a good job in epidemic prevention and control and work resumption," said Liu.

Cai Wei, spokesman for the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, said all foreigners in Guangzhou should strictly comply with Chinese laws and are obliged to accept the examination of their passports and other identity documents by public security organs.

Since March 27, Guangzhou has demanded all arrivals from overseas undergo a fortnight quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT).

By Saturday, a total of 4,553 people from high-risk countries had undergone NAT in Guangzhou, 679 people were under centralized medical observation and 3,771 were isolated at home.

Guangzhou had reported a total of 119 imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease as of midnight Saturday, according to Guangzhou mayor Wen Guohui.

Of the 119 imported cases, 25 were foreign nationals and 94 were Chinese nationals. Of the 25 foreign patients, 19 were from Africa, accounting for 76 percent of the total.

Official data showed that as of April 10, there were 30,768 foreigners living in Guangzhou. The five countries with the largest population in Guangzhou were the Republic of Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada and Russia. A total of 4,553 African nationals, or 14.8 percent of the total number of foreigners, lived in the city.

All people treated alike during outbreak: Guangzhou mayor

Guangzhou mayor Wen Guohui promised to equally treat both domestic and foreign people while making great efforts to prevent and control imported cases of COVID-19 in the southern metropolis.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Wen said Guangzhou is facing a more challenging pressure when a growing number of people are expected to arrive in the city. 

"But foreigners will not be discriminated against in the fight against COVID-19, as Guangzhou, known as a millennium commercial capital, is a city of openness and tolerance," Wen said.

To prevent and control imported cases of the virus, relevant departments in the city will continue to introduce more effective measures in the weeks to come.

Priorities will be given to screen and check people from high-risk nations and on high-risk flights to the city, he said.

"The measures, including nucleic acid tests and the two weeks of quarantine, cover all inbound passengers from abroad, including both Chinese and foreign people, instead of only foreigners," said Wen.

Meanwhile, Wen promised to further expand Sino-foreign cooperation with major cities around the world to fight against the pandemic, share his city's experience and provide procurement convenience in the months ahead.

Guangzhou has established 14 monitoring and inspection centers for COVID-19 in the entire city where foreigners and those who have returned from high-risk nations are encouraged and guided to report their health conditions and have a nucleic acid test, Wen said.

Liu Baochun, director of the Guangzhou City Office of Foreign Affairs, said relevant departments have established a special task force, consisting of senior medical experts and doctors, to offer medical treatments to all patients in the city.

"All patients, no matter where they come from, are equally treated in the city," he said.

"And foreigners' religious beliefs and their ethnic customs are fully respected when they are receiving quarantine and treatment," Liu added.

According to Liu, his office has expanded contacts with more than 60 consulate generals in Guangzhou to promote the city's anti-COVID-19 polices, regulations and measures in multi-languages.

Cai Wei, a senior police officer from the Guangzhou City Bureau of Public Security, said police enforcement never targets specific groups of people.

Cai Wei, spokesman for the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, said all foreigners in Guangzhou should strictly comply with Chinese laws and are obliged to accept the examination of their passports and other identity documents by public security organs.

Since March 27, Guangzhou has demanded all arrivals from overseas undergo a fortnight quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT).

By Saturday, a total of 4,553 people from high-risk countries had undergone NAT in Guangzhou, 679 people were under centralized medical observation and 3,771 were isolated at home.

Guangzhou had reported a total of 119 imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease as of midnight Saturday, according to Guangzhou mayor Wen Guohui.

Of the 119 imported cases, 25 were foreign nationals and 94 were Chinese nationals. Of the 25 foreign patients, 19 were from Africa, accounting for 76 percent of the total.

Official data showed that as of April 10, there were 30,768 foreigners living in Guangzhou. The five countries with the largest population in Guangzhou were the Republic of Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada and Russia. A total of 4,553 African nationals, or 14.8 percent of the total number of foreigners, lived in the city.

Remarks on Guangdong's anti-virus measures concerning African citizens in China

(Photo: Sohu)

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Sunday made remarks on Guangdong's anti-epidemic measures concerning African citizens in China. The remarks were as follows.

Faced with COVID-19, an abrupt global public health crisis, all countries are taking containment measures to prevent it from further spreading. China has achieved remarkable progress at this stage thanks to our most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures, but we are still facing great risks of imported cases and domestic resurgence. Particularly, as the pandemic spreads all over the world, imported cases are causing mounting pressure.

China and Africa are good friends, partners and brothers. Our friendship is forged on the basis of joint efforts to seek national independence, liberation, economic development and better livelihood in the past decades. Such time-tested friendship is a treasure for both Chinese and African people. Humanity shines through the darkness of the epidemic. After the Ebola epidemics broke out in three West African countries in 2014, the Chinese government provided assistance at the earliest time possible and fought side by side with the African countries and people. Now faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Africa are again tiding over difficulties hand in hand, and our friendship is again elevated. We will not forget the support from Africa during our most difficult times. While overcoming difficulties at home, we also give love and care to all African citizens in China, especially African students. As the situation is getting more severe in Africa, the Chinese government and people have urgently delivered batches of supplies to the continent. Our assistance, conveying deep friendship for our African brothers and sisters, demonstrates our fine tradition of mutual assistance and mutual support, and has been highly acclaimed by African countries and the African Union. While arduously fight the virus at home, China has donated large amounts of test kits, masks, protective suits, goggles, face shields, forehead thermometers, medical-use gloves, shoe covers, ventilators and other supplies to the African Union and African countries. We will continue helping our African brothers to the best of our ability.

During our fight against the coronavirus, the Chinese government has been attaching great importance to the life and health of foreign nationals in China. All foreigners are treated equally. We reject differential treatment, and we have zero tolerance for discrimination. Since the outbreak, the authorities in Guangdong attach high importance to the treatment of foreign patients, including African nationals. Specific plans and proper arrangements are made to protect their life and health to the best of our ability, thanks to which we were able to save the lives of some African patients in severe or critical conditions.

The Guangdong authorities attach great importance to some African countries' concerns and are working promptly to improve their working method. The measures include: to provide health management services without differentiation, to designate hotels for the accommodation of foreigners required to undergo medical observation and adopt price adjustment for those in financial difficulties; to set up effective communication mechanism with foreign consulates-general in Guangzhou; and to reject all racist and discriminatory remarks. The Chinese people always see in the African people partners and brothers through thick and thin. China-Africa friendship is unbreakable as it is deeply rooted in this land. African friends can count on getting fair, just, cordial and friendly reception in China. The foreign ministry will stay in close communication with the Guangdong authorities and continue responding to the African side's reasonable concerns and legitimate appeals.

The virus knows no borders. The pandemic, a challenge to all mankind, can only be defeated through concerted international efforts. With mutual understanding, mutual support and cooperation, we are ready to continue working with African friends to achieve the final victory.

Zhong Nanshan: It's important to test and quarantine all travelers entering China

China's top respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan has said it is of great importance for China to test all travelers entering the country amid the global spread of the coronavirus pandemic and take quarantine measures to prevent infections originating from abroad from spreading domestically.

Zhong made the remarks while answering media questions in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

He pointed out that the number one task in China right now is epidemic containment. "It's the right decision for China to order testing and quarantine for all who enter the country," he said.

Most foreign nationals in GD comply with epidemic control works

 The 53rd press conference of Guangdong’s fighting against COVID-19.(Photo by Cao Yaqin)

The overwhelming majority of foreign nationals in Guangdong recognize the province’s efforts and outcomes in fighting COVID-19, and have actively cooperated with the epidemic prevention and control measures in Guangdong, Chen Qiuyan, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province (GDFAO), said at the 53rd press conference of Guangdong’s fighting against COVID-19 on April 12.

Chen Qiuyan, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province. (Photo by Cao Yaqin)

GDFAO has issued letters to all foreign nationals in the province in multilanguages, timely introducing the latest policies on entry quarantine, community-level containment measures, and also reminding them to take care of their own health.

GDFAO also opened a 24-hour multilingual advisory service hotline to promptly answer foreigners’ queries about epidemic prevention. So far, nearly 9000 calls have been received, most of which were about quarantine measures and entry policies.

Chen said that GDFAO has strengthened its communication with all 65 foreign Consulates General in Guangzhou, sharing the latest progress on epidemic prevention and control in the province through online and offline briefings and meetings. Problems reported by the consulates were timely responded. Incidents and misunderstandings about foreigners being denied free movement in some public venues and residential areas were properly handled.

GDFAO insists that consulates should urge their nationals to strictly abide by Chinese law and local epidemic prevention regulations.

According to Chen, GDFAO also works closely with education and health departments to provide necessary help to foreign nationals in Guangdong and makes every effort to meet their living, epidemic control and medical needs .

Guangdong has made an all-out effort to treat the confirmed cases of foreign nationals, who expressed sincere thanks to the local authorities after pulling through. Some of their home governments, embassies and consulates also extended gratitude to Guangdong for its humanitarian treatment and care in letters to GDFAO.

Source: Chinadaily; CGTN; Global Times；Xinhua;

https://peoplesdaily.pdnews.cn; GDFAO & Newsgd.com

Expat Focus; https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/HGa3DAqRNzrrWJhqlAzVmw

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