Coronavirus: China closes its borders, foreigners say they are stigmatized

A traveler leaves the Beijing bus station on March 27, 2020 (photo illustration). REUTERS / Thomas Peter

Text by: RFI Follow

At a time when the epidemic seems to be stabilizing in the country, after having killed 3,301 people and more than 82,214 cases, the Chinese authorities have decided to close the borders as of this Saturday, March 28.

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in Zhengzhou, Zhifan Liu

At the height of the epidemic in China, the communist regime had denounced the decision of the United States to close its borders to Chinese nationals. A few months later, China decided to do the same for all foreigners - even for holders of a residence permit.

The communist regime claims that the purpose of this decision is to protect the country and the world, and that it aims to preserve China's efforts which have enabled it to control the situation on its soil.

According to official figures, the majority of cases of contamination observed in recent days are cases " imported " from abroad .

China has so far identified 649 such cases. As a direct result, many hotel establishments no longer accept holders of foreign passports, even if they have not left China for months. A Canadian journalist tried to make reservations with nine hotels in Beijing, without success. Other shops display signs with the same instructions: no foreigners accepted.

Hospitality, joy to receive # Chine2029 https://t.co/MnIa5eWmN7

Stéphane Lagarde (@StephaneLagarde) March 27, 2020

Prompt to denounce the stigmatizing appellation of " Chinese virus " used by Donald Trump to designate the Covid-19 , Beijing therefore now focuses on foreigners ... while 90% of imported cases are Chinese nationals returning to China, according to official figures.

Our selection on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

Listen to Infos coronavirus , our daily column on the Covid-19

Practical questions:
→ What is the lifespan of the virus?
→ Who are the vulnerable people ?
What should you do when you think you are contaminated ?
Quarantine, what are we talking about ?
What treatments ? The effectiveness of an antimalarial drug in question
The advice of a psychiatrist to live well the confinement

Find all our articles, reports, chronicles and programs on the coronavirus by clicking here .

See also our contents on containment .

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Subscribe

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • China
  • Coronavirus
  • Health and Medicine
  • Diplomacy

On the same subject

Coronavirus: Asia faces a second wave of contamination

"The Chinese virus": Trump's rhetoric worries the Asian American community