China’s media attack anti-African protests

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 8

China’s media attack anti-African protests

NZPA-Reuter Nanking China’s official news media yesterday attacked continuing street protests against African students but said the demonstrators’ grievances were just. Nanking’s “Xinhua Daily” published a strongly worded editorial urging a return to order on the city’s streets after four successive nights of protests. It urged readers “not to influence our hard-won stability and unity”. The newspaper quoted an unnamed education official as denying anyone had been killed during

clashes between African and Chinese students at Nanking’s Hehai University on Saturday. Many of the Chinese demonstrators believe an elderly Chinese watchman was killed during the incident. They are demanding retribution for alleged violence by the Africans. The official promised the affair would be dealt with “according to the law”. He said, however, the protesters’ demands were just and their feelings understandable. “But we do not approve of demonstrations as a

means. They will not help to solve the problems, only increase them.” At least 13 people, two African students and 11 university employees, were injured on Saturday night in clashes between the students and staff. The violence flared over the admission to a university dance of Chinese girls escorted by Africans.

Peking-based African diplomats flew to Nanking to meet more than 130 African students who fled attacks by Chinese after the incident and are now hiding in the city.

Some 3000 Chinese students smashed windows with stones and bottles at the foreign students’ dormitories on Sunday.

Chinese marched through the streets, shouting racial slurs and demanding punishment, and some 200 police held back the crowd.

The “Xinhua Daily” said similar clashes had occurred in other countries and that the actions of a minority should not harm the “long-standing friendship” between Chinese and foreign students”