The International Schools Review Forum

With all the recent reports of racism and xenophobia in China is anyone thinking about not returning to their post there?

People of African decent are being discriminated against the most, but others have faced discrimination as well. A pregnant woman who was having pains was rejected by 5 hospitals due to the color of her skin. McDonald's had a sign that said "No blacks allowed", people are being evicted from their homes.

On a personal note, the gym I went to is now banning all foreigners. Unless things change, I have serious doubts about returning.

China is the most racist country on earth at present all while lecturing European and North American countries to hug a Chinese to prove they aren't racist against Chinese. Spare me! I would also warn anyone teaching in China to get out ASAP. In particular, Hong Kong is done. So sad. Hundreds of thousands Western-oriented residents of Hong Kong are looking to get out any way they can. The international schools there are finished faster than even those on mainland China. Get out fast.

When considering China, I like to remove the Chinese people from the actual CCP government.

Authoritarian governments have some advantages. First they ignore problems as individuals don't like to get the blame - but then they can move quicker and with more force to fix the problem due to inbuilt measures to control the population. To put it simple - the CCP's first and only goal is survival.

Before this year - we would often see <<insert country of the day here>> to blame which would whip up a lower level of histeria. This was Japan, then South Korea, then Philippines then Australia and then Canada with Huawei. Nationalistic trolls and the 50 cent army would often be the main problem online - but these are a minority in a country of 1.3 billion people. In general - most people in China are ignorant or apathetic to what happens outside of China.

I've seen how the lockdown has affected some of my friends who still live in China - it's totally scarred them much more than the semi-lockdowns outside of China. Now that things are getting slightly better in China after 3 months - hundreds of millions of people are upset and angry and are looking for anyone to blame their problems on. To a person who lives in China - them being locked in their houses for 10 weeks and then sending aid then being chastised would send most people over the edge in such a situation. Remember - this is what most of them probably think actually happened!

China does not have the internet - but more of an intranet which is controlled by the government along with the media. The economy is hurting, people are upset and have lost trust in the system, overseas companies are considering pulling out of China en-mass which all together puts the CCP in a difficult position. This has hurt the government and the people and as a result they are looking for someone to blame.

My knowledge is a bit weak - but I heard that a very small number of Nigerians may have contracted COVID-19 down in Guangdong which started off this whole kerfuffle. It's now meant to be affecting anyone with an African passport (even White South Africans) but of course there is a strong racial context.

The ban of foreigners entering the country will gut the expat family community schools for the 2020/21 start of the year but will affect Chinese "international" schools to a much lesser degree. I'm also expecting it to be difficult to actually get into China for the next 2020/21 school year - and if you can it will be a rough start with testing and potentially 14 days hotel quarantine as a best resort. I would not accept a position in China at the moment - but I'm not sure I'd accept a position in many countries at the moment either.

I'm just surprised how much this has flown under the radar in mainstream media.....

There are many recent videos online of black people, and to a lesser extent all foreigners, being denied entry to a variety of businesses and services in China.

What if your child needs medical assistance and they're refused entry to the hospital based on the color of their skin? What if your landlord decides to throw you out?

Those are risks I can't take.

So what is the point of your thread?

Is it to make people aware of the problem - or to look for solutions?

The Chinese government or local population are not going to change because some foreigners are upset (albeit rightly so - aka the foreigners). All we can do is try and change what happens around us. If that includes leaving the source of the problem - then that might be needed.

I'm just looking for other people's thoughts on the current situation. I want to know if they'd consider coming back with how things are now.

August will be two years in China. I have already experienced what I would refer to as xenophobia, since the . hit. I understand the fear of the unknown, on the part of average Chinese citizens. They only know what their government tells them and I don't have any reason to believe that the CCP has handed down any directives regarding foreigners and discrimination. There have been a lot of "imported" cases and that scares people.

I've seen the videos and understand that there are African immigrants here who have faced poor, if not bad treatment. I've also read that there are a number of illegals in that area - coming in on one permit, sending it home, and another uses the same permit. It happens in the U.S. quite frequently so stands to reason it could happen here. We also don't know who decided to be jerks to those people. Most likely it is a very small number of ignorant people.

Overall, I am comfortable everywhere I go here. I'm just bummed I can't go away to Sanya for the weekend because many hotels are not accepting foreigners right now, which I understand.

Id travel to China in the Fall.

I have an African passport and have been following this story closely because of it. I have heard many accounts of evictions, being turned away from public transport, forced testing, forced quarantine despite no recent travel, not being able to go into hospitals, etc. Africans are being hit the hardest but other foreigners are also on the receiving end of discrimination. This is mostly Guangzhou.

I say all this to come to the point. I was offered a job and continue to get offers for good packages in China. I have turned all of them down because I'm not willing to be discriminated against on a regular basis. I wouldn't suggest that a friend with an African passport go but if you're a westerner I don't think it's a bad deal. Many of them are still having a great time based on their accounts there. Good luck with your decision.

the racism against anyone with different colour of skin has always been bad in china (and korea) well, well before COVID.

and in general, if you have a passport from an african country, it's already hard to break into many places.

v.

It is not as bad in Beijing as it is in Guangzhou from what I have heard.

It is not as bad in Beijing as it is in Guangzhou from what I have heard.

IE has historically been a mostly white profession. ISs mostly pay lip service to diversity.