22 Heads of African Envoy in China today met with China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chen Xiadong and senior officials of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the ongoing situation in Guangdong Province.
In a press release issued by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Government of the People’s Republic of China has taken note of happenings and was taking steps to stop the targeting of and ill treatment meted out to Africans in the Guangdong Province of China. The statement also emphasized the Government of Ghana’s interest in the reports and stated; “The Government of Ghana has taken note of this development and is keenly monitoring the situation”. It added; “on account of these assurances received from the Chinese Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration therefore would like to entreat all Ghanaians living in China and particularly, Guangdong Province to remain calm and stay in contact with our Mission in Beijing and the Consulate-General in Guangzhou and share concerns of further occurrences on the following numbers; +8618612081400 or +8618612959040
A week ago, reports indicated that Africans in China’s Guangdong Province were being singled out for nucleic acid test and compulsory quarantine even though some had not traveled out of China in the last 3 months since the Coronavirus broke out. The reports included cases of Africans being evicted from their hotels and apartments as local authorities in the province embarked on their scheduled tests.
On 11th April, the outcome of Ambassador Boateng’s emergency virtual meetings with leaders of the Ghanaian community in China were reported in the Ghanaian media. He explained his dissatisfaction at the way the Municipal Authorities at Guangzhou had handled the issues and explained that the Government of Ghana had taken the matter up seriously. He also added that the African Diplomatic Corps in China had met and were taking steps to address the issue and were seeking redress as a block.
African Governments have invited Heads of Chinese Envoys in their countries to register their displeasure and demand a fair treatment of their nationals in line with diplomatic practice and international law. Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway invited Ambassador Shi Ting Wang; China’s Ambassador to Ghana, on 10th April, 2020, whereas Nigeria’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also invited the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pingjian to communicate the government’s concern about allegations of maltreatment of Nigerians in Guangzhou.
