China Demands Russia Stop Profiling Potential Coronavirus Victims Using Public Transport in Moscow
Police checking suspected Chinese people for signs of infection.
Paul Joseph Watson
Summit.news
26 February, 2020
China has demanded Russia stop profiling potential Chinese coronavirus victims who are being interviewed and tested by police while using public transport in Moscow.
The Chinese Embassy in Russia sent a letter questioning why Moscow police and subway workers were checking passengers believed to be Chinese for signs of coronavirus.
The practice of profiling and checking people believed to be Chinese citizens in public places isn’t being done anywhere else in the world.
“Chinese officials regretted that the police, together with subway officials, allegedly checked and questioned only Chinese citizens,” reports Novaya Gazete.
Beijing asked that in order to “calm the society and not break the friendly relations between China and Russia,” Moscow must not take “excessive measures” and must end the “widespread monitoring of people who arrived from the PRC.”
Earlier reports suggested that drivers of buses and trams were also being asked to announce to other passengers if there were “persons of Chinese nationality” on board.
Russia has had just two cases of coronavirus inside its borders – two Chinese citizens who have now recovered.
That might have something to do with strict border controls imposed in the early days of the outbreak when Russia closed most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banned Chinese citizens from entering the country.
In comparison, Italy, which has imposed no border controls, has reported at least 374 cases and 12 deaths.
