Countries in Asia have been seeing a marked increase in immigration from Africa over the last 15 years. Sadly, this increase has also led to an increase in anti-African sentiment. In China in particular, African immigrants are seeing an increase in targeted policing, unfavorable visa laws and other incidents of bias. A racist laundry advertisement out of China, where a Chinese woman throws a black man into a washing machine to transform him into a “clean” Chinese man, made international headlines in 2016. Many saw this ad as specifically targeting African immigrants in China.
There are also so-called “beautification” projects that target neighborhoods like one in Guangzhou, known as “Little Africa.” The project resulted in an increased police presence, which residents say has resulted in constant passport and visa checks for African immigrants in the area. In response, many Africans are returning home or choosing not to immigrate to China at all. One young Gambian man has even started a Facebook group called Gambian’s Nightmare in China, warning other Africans not to immigrate to the country and offering support to those who still reside there.
