The subsumption of racial discrimination : The representation of Chinese mainstream media of the maltreatment of African nationals in Guangzhou during the Covid-19 pandemic

The main source of information of the daily update included all levels of Government in Guangdong. The update provided detailed information about new confirmed cases, including number, age, occupation, place of residence, country of origin, citizenship, travel history, entry flight number, high-risk areas, etc. Terms like ‘isolation for medical observation' and ‘health management service' were used to convey the scientific nature of the containment measures. The fifth theme is the endorsement from the African political leaders, including that from foreign ministers of African countries involved, African envoys in Guangzhou and African Union leaders. The final aspect of mainstream media's construction of the crisis provides stories of individual experiences of African nationals in China during the pandemic, including that of students, small traders, entrepreneurs and professionals. The recent reconnection between China and Africa also sparked the revival of anti-black racism in China.