The Government of the United States has lambasted the China over its maltreatment of Nigerians and other Black Africans in the country under the guise of containing imported cases of COVID-19 in the country.
The US accused China of Xenophobia towards black Africans after hundreds were evicted from their homes and hotels without prior notice or explanation in the city of Guangzhou.
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Disturbing reports had come out of China about the harrasment of Nigerians, Kenyans and Ugandans in the Chinese city.
Hundreds of students and business people were forced out of their homes and hotels without warning and abandoned in the streets.
Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and other businesses also refused to provide services to black Africans, asking them to move to another city instead.
In some instances the passports of some of the Africans were seized and it took the intervention of a Nigerian diplomat in the presence of smirking Chinese officials to secure the release of some seized passports.
As the harrasment grew, the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives summoned the Chinese ambassador in Nigeria to demand an explanation for the xenophobia against Nigerians as well as action against the maltreatment.
According to a statement by the US department of State, the maltreatment of Africans by the Chinese is a reflection of how empty and shallow the partnership between China and African countries really is.
The abuse and mistreatment of Africans living and working in China is a sad reminder of how hollow the PRC-Africa partnership really is.
At a time when we should be supporting one another to recover from a pandemic PRC officials recklessly hid from the world, Chinese officials are busy evicting African students into the streets without food or shelter.”
The United States has decried the lack of transparency about the coronavirus on the part of the Chinese when the disease broke out in Wuhan, China.
The death rate in the US alone is more than 20,000 already and it’s still climbing.
“It’s unfortunate but not surprising to see this kind of xenophobia towards Africans by Chinese authorities. “Anyone who watches Chinese engagement in projects across Africa recognizes this kind of abusive and manipulative behavior.”
“Anyone who watches Chinese engagement in projects across Africa recognizes this kind of abusive and manipulative behavior.”
The State Department said.
While Donald Trump has largely ignored Africa since becoming US president in 2016, his administration has continually warned against Chinese ‘gifts’ to Africa saying there were not friendly.
“Promises made to Africans, including those who work and study in China, are never kept as advertised.
“To treat people -– especially students — this way during a global public health crisis says everything about how the PRC views their so-called ‘partnership’ with Africa.”
The US State Department Concluded.