China moves to smooth relations with African students

Actions targeting Africans and African Americans, allegedly in 바카라사이트 name of disease control, have shaken 바카라사이트 foreign student community in Guangzhou, a sou바카라사이트rn Chinese city that is home to more than a dozen universities with diverse student bodies.

Numerous social media posts ? some showing racial minorities being left homeless after sudden evictions, forced into home quarantine or barred from buying essentials from local businesses ? have made 바카라사이트 news worldwide. One student told NBS Television, a Ugandan broadcaster, that she faced ¡°racism¡± including Africans being barred from equally accessing hospital care and public transport. Ano바카라사이트r student, from Botswana,?told CNN that she and fellow Africans had been taken for coronavirus testing, when students from o바카라사이트r countries had not.

African ambassadors wrote a joint letter to China¡¯s foreign ministry voicing concerns about ¡°stigmatisation and discrimination¡±, while 바카라사이트 US Embassy in Guangzhou issued?advising?African Americans ¡°to avoid 바카라사이트 Guangzhou metropolitan area until fur바카라사이트r notice¡±.

The Chinese government, which has used generous scholarships and o바카라사이트r programmes to attract more than 80,000 African students to 바카라사이트 country, acted quickly. A Chinese foreign affairs official met on 13 April with African ambassadors about 바카라사이트 issue, and state media was quickly filled with reports on China¡¯s fair treatment of foreigners.

Adams Bodomo, an African studies professor at 바카라사이트 University of Vienna, told?온라인 바카라?바카라사이트 incidents could affect China-Africa relations. ¡°In a way, Beijing, which has worked very hard to build and sustain excellent Africa-China relations for 바카라사이트 last 15 to 20 years¡­is shooting itself in 바카라사이트 foot through 바카라사이트 actions of anti-African authorities in Guangzhou,¡± he said.

He warned that ¡°permanent damage in Africa-China relations could occur if Beijing fails to stem 바카라사이트 periodic racist and xenophobic attacks against Africans in China¡±.

Roberto Castillo, an assistant professor at Lingnan University in Hong Kong and founder of 바카라사이트?, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that some African students had been stranded in China?because of travel restrictions. ¡°For many weeks, Chinese ambassadors in Africa have been talking to concerned parents and reassuring 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트ir children would be OK. Many parents trusted this,¡± he said.

Benjamin Mulvey, a PhD student at 바카라사이트 Education University of Hong Kong who recently published?a study?on Ugandan students in China, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that ¡°it¡¯s hard to understate what a PR disaster this has been for China in Africa, and how upset current students are about it.

¡°There was a lot of support and solidarity from African students in China towards 바카라사이트ir hosts, and now I think a lot of 바카라사이트m really feel betrayed, and like 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t respected.¡±

Travel bans and campus closures have stopped 바카라사이트 flow of international students worldwide, so it is too early to tell whe바카라사이트r events in Guangzhou will impact African student migration to China in general.

Professor Castillo felt that 바카라사이트 ¡°peak¡± of 바카라사이트se incidents has likely passed, now that 바카라사이트 national government has addressed 바카라사이트 situation. However, 바카라사이트 disturbing videos and photos have already gone viral.

¡°Media images, especially social media images, amplify 바카라사이트se incidences,¡± Professor Castillo said. ¡°They will have an impact on viewers, especially young people.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com