Foreigners in China Face Discrimination as Imported Corona Infections Grow

Foreigners in China Face Discrimination as Imported Corona Infections Grow
Mar 26, 2020 By eChinacities.com

Foreigners in China are facing discrimination and restrictions as the public and government remain wary of imported coronavirus infections. In recent days, new COVID-19 infections originating from inside China have slowed to almost nothing, while imported cases continue to rise. The result has seen foreigners of all nationalities, whether just arrived in China or not, facing increased scrutiny and suspicion.


Source: Pavel Anoshin

Stories are circulating among expat communities of foreigners returning home to find their locks have been changed and they are no longer welcome in their residential complexes. Others have been refused haircuts or asked by their employers not to associate with their expat friends.

Despite the fact that the majority of imported infections are being carried into China by Chinese citizens, there have also been several reports of hotels refusing to rent rooms to foreigners, even if they’ve been in China for two weeks or longer. According to a journalist from British newspaper the Guardian, a Shanghai hotel said they had been advised by the local government not to provide rooms to foreigners from 20 countries. A Canadian reporter form the Globe and Mail also reported calling nine Beijing hotels and being refused a room at all.

Meanwhile, other expats have been unable to sign a new contract or extend their current one with online rental service Ziroom. The Beijinger was able to confirm with the group that they have not been subject to any official government policy but that some landlords and residential communities no longer wish to rent to foreigners.

What’s clear, is that as China slowly emerges from the coronavirus ashes and the rest of the world struggles under its peak, foreigners in China will be more scrutinized than ever before.

Have you experienced any discrimination recently? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

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Keywords: foreigners in China face discrimination

16 Comments

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Guest15034668

So sad

Apr 17, 2020 20:10 Report Abuse

Fatai2356

But the disease is originated from them

Apr 15, 2020 01:25 Report Abuse

jeez

Please let me say,my community has two foreigners,one is fron germany and the other is from greek,they are live well and go jogging every day,its special time ,we just have no ability to entertain so many guest from the place what call us virus

Apr 14, 2020 22:42 Report Abuse

pcadjnew

I was NOT ACCEPTED in 20 hotels and 4 flats in Nanjing, had a housing crisis.My hotel is bankrupt and is going to close.They sacked me out and scam me.Horrible experience.Now in a temporary flat unemployed and isolated

Apr 05, 2020 10:04 Report Abuse

benji1988

I was rejected entry from a mall in Suzhou until I contacted the local government and a Chinese friend came to walk into the mall with me. I was also rejected entry from Ellen’s bar in Suzhou when with my Chinese friends

Apr 01, 2020 19:57 Report Abuse

georgecwinn

I was rejected entry at Shanghai Hudong Hospital because I’m a foreigner. Was just being a good husband and taking my wife to the doctor. I was given this reason after being straight up told to leave without reason for 10 minutes.

Mar 31, 2020 13:58 Report Abuse

Guest16081260

The government should step in and discourage racism. It would just take 1 viral story of a person being arrested for being racist and then all the racism would stop.

Mar 31, 2020 12:03 Report Abuse

Onyinye

But the disease started from there

Mar 30, 2020 22:16 Report Abuse

markstphns

I think, if I was back at old place, my neighbors would be welcoming. I miss those folks.

Mar 29, 2020 04:09 Report Abuse

RaymondTgore

This virus has to go

Mar 27, 2020 00:36 Report Abuse

Guest17124634

Likewise, Asian communities in other countries are dealt the same card. People get paranoid during this time! I think people here get scared by the image of people going free on the streets/pubs one month earlier in U.S., Europe and other parts! Hope all this will be over with and we can cool off and think with our heads!!

Mar 26, 2020 22:45 Report Abuse

Guest17369988

. we are all humans, ull die and what you're all protecting is left behind. we all need others to stand tall. Let's leave our fate in the hands of God.

Mar 26, 2020 20:42 Report Abuse

Guest17358386

sorry to hear that .....

Mar 26, 2020 15:46 Report Abuse

ottawacowboy

I find it difficult to believe that foreigners have returned home to find their locks changed. The gate security and community management would be familiar with the foreigners, would know the foreigners live there and for how long they'd been living there. Thorough Information checking was done during the peak of the virus as to where people had been and how long they'd been in the country etc.

Mar 26, 2020 11:24 Report Abuse

Nikwestside

I think what you wrote makes a lot of sense. Administrative functions in China tend to keep close tabs on all foreigners, and it's highly unlikely that foreigners that are here legally would find themselves in situations like those described in the article, although there might be exceptions of course. With that said, I believe we are going to see random Chinese people on the streets and in the supermarkets scrutinize or even harass foreigners, as they only know what they have read, and can only react to what they see. Obviously, a lot of overseas Chinese and Asians have already experienced this in the West at the beginning of this pandemic, but that doesn't make it any less wrong when it happens to foreigners inside China.

Mar 27, 2020 12:31 Report Abuse