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McDonald’s In China Bans Black People; McDonald’s Apologizes; U.S. Consulate Warns African-Americans Not To Visit Region

   DailyWire.com
Tianhe McDonald's, Guangzhou, China, on Wednesday, April 4, 2007.
Bloomberg/Contributor/Getty Images

A McDonald’s restaurant in Guangzhou, China — a city which contains one of the communist country’s largest African communities and is frequently visited by African traders — banned black people from entering the restaurant, an action which McDonald’s Corporation has since condemned and resulted in the temporary closure of the store. Amid reports that local officials have ordered other stores to bar people of African origin, the U.S. consulate in the city has warned African-Americans against visiting the region.

The controversy surrounding the Guangzhou McDonald’s began over the weekend amid reports that one of its restaurants in the city was specifically banning black people. The group Black Livity China, which describes itself as “documenting 360° of Black experiences both in China and in relation to China for the benefit of our global community,” tweeted out a video featuring a notice presented at the restaurant which reads in part: “We’ve been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant.”

McDonald’s Corporation has since responded, stating that the restaurant’s discriminatory action “is not representative of our inclusive values” and announcing that the store was temporarily closed.

“As a brand, as a company and as more than 2.2 million people serving nearly 120 countries around the world, this is not representative of our inclusive values. Immediately upon learning of an unauthorized communication to our guests at a restaurant in Guangzhou, we immediately removed the communication and temporarily closed the restaurant,” read the statement.

The U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou is now warning African-Americans against visiting the city. In a health alert issued Monday, the consulate describes reports of “discrimination against African-Americans” in the city:

Event: Discrimination against African-Americans in Guangzhou

In response to an increase in COVID-19 infections, officials in the Guangzhou metropolitan area escalated scrutiny of foreign nationals. As part of this campaign, police ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin. Moreover, local officials launched a round of mandatory tests for COVID-19, followed by mandatory self-quarantine, for anyone with “African contacts,” regardless of recent travel history or previous quarantine completion. African-Americans have also reported that some businesses and hotels refuse to do business with them.  The U.S. Consulate General advises African-Americans or those who believe Chinese officials may suspect them of having contact with nationals of African countries to avoid the Guangzhou metropolitan area until further notice.  Without advance warning, officials might require such individuals to submit to a COVID-19 test and undergo 14 days of supervised quarantine at their own expense.

All U.S. citizens in China are subject to local law. If you violate Chinese laws, even unknowingly, you may be arrested, expelled, or imprisoned.  The Chinese legal system can be opaque, and the interpretation and enforcement of local laws may be arbitrary. The judiciary does not enjoy independence from political influence. U.S. citizens traveling or residing in China may be subject to heightened scrutiny by Chinese local law enforcement and state security. They should carry identity documents at all times.

As reported by CBS News on Tuesday, some African governments have also weighed in on the reports of discrimination against people of African origin, including Nigeria and Ghana.

On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian attempted to dismiss the controversy as U.S. propaganda and insisted that “our friendship with Africa is unbreakable,” CBS reports.

“It is immoral and irresponsible to sow discord when we need solidarity,” he declared. “We urge U.S. to focus on COVID-19 at home and stop driving the wedge between China and Africa.”

“The Chinese government has attached high importance to the health and safety of foreign nationals in China,” he claimed. “We treat them equally and reject any discriminatory measures in our outbreak response.”

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