A recent cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to the Nigerian community in Guangzhou sparked the alleged discrimination by locals and virus prevention officials.
Africans in southern China's largest city say they have become targets of suspicion and subjected to forced evictions, arbitrary quarantines and mass coronavirus testing as the country steps up its fight against imported infections.
Five were Nigerian nationals who faced widespread anger after reports surfaced that they had broken a mandatory quarantine and been to eight restaurants and other public places instead of staying home. "I've been sleeping under the bridge for four days with no food to eat... I cannot buy food anywhere, no shops or restaurants will serve me," said Tony Mathias, an exchange student from Uganda who was forced from his apartment on Monday.Mathias added that police had given him no information about testing or quarantine but instead told him"to go to another city".A Nigerian businessman said he was evicted from his apartment earlier this week.
Thiam, an exchange student from Guinea, said police ordered him to stay home on Tuesday even after he tested negative for COVID-19 and told officers he had not left China in almost four years."All the people I've seen tested are Africans. Chinese are walking around freely but if you're black you can't go out," he said.
Last week a controversial cartoon depicting foreigners as different types of trash to be sorted through went viral on social media. "I want to emphasise that the Chinese government treats all foreigners in China equally," said spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday, urging local officials to"improve their working mechanisms".
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