Incident of the Chinese Ambassador's Fake Apology

(13 Apr) "China finally has its day of reckoning." China's counter-epidemic inspection measures have targeted African residents in Guangzhou. In the past week, this became an intercontinental diplomatic issue. Although the Chinese government emphasised that isolation measures for foreigners were non-discriminatory, expats from various African countries continually reported back home the collective discrimination they experienced. Even international students who "have not left China in the past two years" were forced into isolation. These events sparked protests from many African countries. The Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives summoned the Chinese Ambassador and demanded an "official explanation". Unexpectedly, Nigerian news media took a screenshot from the meeting and titled it "The Chinese Ambassador bowed in apology". The image started trending rapidly online in Africa. However, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tersely issued a clarification, stating that the Chinese Ambassador was merely looking down at the cell phone. "Any other interpretation of the scene does not conform with what was actually there during the meeting."

The controversy with the diplomatic photo was triggered last weekend when the Chinese ambassador, Zhou Pingjian, was summoned. Zhou was to provide an "official explanation" to the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the "maltreatment of Nigerians in Guangzhou". During the discussion, the Speaker suddenly presented his cell phone to show a video from a few days ago. It contained people of African descent being driven out and suppressed by the police, Nigerian consular staff in Guangzhou being outraged by the police seizing the passports of isolated citizens, and other controversial footage that has recently spread around the globe. 

However, the screenshot in question shows that the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives had put his cell phone on the table so that Zhou Pingjian could "stand and bend over to see the video". At the same time, the Speaker sat casually with one leg up. The scene in the screenshot gives the odd impression that the Chinese Ambassador was "bowing 90 degrees while being lectured".

The screenshot later circulated across local media with reports that went along the lines of "After the Nigerian government protested strongly against China, the Chinese government promised to amend Guangzhou's quarantine policies." However, stories of "Chinese Ambassador bows in apology to Nigerian government official" started appearing on social media, instigating multiple interpretations from both China and Africa.

"Ambassador Zhou Pingjian should consider the other side's allegations from the cell phone video of 'the maltreatment of Ni-citizens (Chinese translation of Nigerians from the first syllable of Nigeria) in Guangzhou, China'." After the chaos triggered from the bowing, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement: "The Ambassador made it clear that judging from the one video clip on that mobile phone the approach of the relevant epidemic prevention and control personnel was not inappropriate." 

The Chinese government particularly emphasised the reason the Ambassador bent over to look at the cell phone. "To keep social distance during the pandemic, the said mobile phone with the video clip was placed on the tea table." However, suspicions started forming among the Chinese community that the screenshot may have been "intentionally" taken out of context. Speculations included that it was a "deliberate trap" for the Nigerian government to account for public grievances. Some even conjectured, "Everything has to do with the US Department of State conspiring to sow discord from afar." A more exaggerated claim was "China was actually dragged down by Taiwan's international criticism that 'Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is racist'."

The truth is, besides Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana have also expressed "dissatisfaction with the Guangzhou government" over the past weekend's events. The Group of African Ambassadors in Beijing, which allies diplomats from various countries, sent a joint letter over the weekend to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. It protested against the discriminatory counter-epidemic measures that singled out "Africans" by the Guangzhou government. Such measures provoked "discrimination", "stigmatization" and "the impression... being created as though the spread of the virus is caused by Africans".

The joint letter indicated that people of African descent in Guangzhou were recently subject to the maltreatment of "forced quarantine" and forced isolation.

"African exchange students were forced to undergo centralised quarantine - even though many did not leave the country or Guangzhou during the epidemic - while their local and white fellow students were not restricted; Chinese women who married to men of African descent were also ordered to isolate, but their Chinese spouses and in-laws were not restricted."*

The letter stated that no matter if they were African Chinese or African communities within China's borders, they were "reported to be areas with the least exposure"*. However, many people of African descent were forced into quarantine despite testing negative. They had to undergo repeated tests and unwarranted medical examinations. Otherwise, the authorities seized their passports and threatened to deport them. "All these acts are inhumane. They are a grave violation of the human rights of Africans!"*

However, the crises from the joint letter by ambassadors and the "Nigerian screenshot" provoked in Chinese public opinion another wave of subtle retaliation. Many comments started to draw attention to a Nigerian man who recently entered the country and was confirmed to have the virus. On 1 April, while in quarantine in Guangzhou, he refused to have his blood drawn for some reason and "bit a nurse's cheek". The incident caused anger and public outcry in the Chinese community, further deepening the recent negative perception and resentment towards people of African descent.

Without excessive "anti-policy" protests by African countries, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Guangzhou government denied that "an apology was necessary" but that they would "review the inspection process". However, exactly what will they review and repair? China has yet to specify a concrete plan.

Editor's Note:

* This translation has stayed true to the Chinese source but is not an accurate representation of the joint letter. The letter in full can be found here: 

https://frontpageafricaonline.com/opinion/letters-comments/protest-letter-of-african-ambassadors-in-beijing/

Source: Udn Global Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/udnglobal/photos/a.163943587285562/1187968101549767/?type=3