Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Zambians living with HIV being sent back from China

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President Edgar Lungu
President Edgar Lungu

ZAMBIANS who are found to be HIV positive while living in China are being sent back, it has been discovered.

President Lungu says he has discussed with the Chinese President XI Jinping the issue of Zambians living with HIV/AIDS who are being sent back from China.

The President says the Chinese President has agreed to intervene in the matter and that it will be resolved soon.

The Zambian mission in China told President Lungu that Zambians living with HIV were being sent back home from China by that countries authorities. The most affected were business executives, students and travellers.

The deportation of Zambians living with HIV from China is one of the major issues that many Zambians living in China raised to President Lungu.

Addressing Zambians living in China on Monday, President Lungu informed them that he has discussed the issue with Premier Li who promised him that he will intervene in the matter.

‘I have already been told by the Ambassador here that there are incidences that are ugly in character like deporting Zambians simply because of being found with HIV positive, either as students, travellers or business people and i raised it with the Premier this morning and they agreed that the HIV situation is not tribal, it is not racial, it is humanity,’ President Lungu said.

He added, ‘It affects all of us and the Premier Mr Li assured me that if there is anything like that he will take on board and investigate.’

Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately open a consulate in Guangzhou, Southern China.

The President says a lot of Zambians find it difficult to access the embassy in Beijing because they do most of their businesses in the commercial capital of Guangzhou.

He says most Zambians who travel to Guangzhou to access business opportunities often encounter challenges.

President Lungu was speaking when he addressed Zambians based in China.

And Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba says his Ministry will in the last quarter of this year enact the Diaspora policy that will address all issues concerning Zambians leaving abroad.

Meanwhile First lady Esther Lungu has urged Zambians leaving abroad to consider investing back in Zambia.

And Zambia’s Ambassador to China Gertrude Mwape says there are unscrupulous people who are cheating Zambians on education opportunities in China.

President Lungu on Monday started his official visit to China with a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.

Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reports that the President and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping inspected a guard of honour mounted in his honour.

President Lungu later held bilateral talks with his Chinese Counterpart where two bilateral agreements were signed.

58 COMMENTS

    • Wouldn’t it be better for this category of individuals to conduct business with China online? In modern economies, one does not need to travel to China for business. There are platforms like ‘Alibaba’ where if not everything can be sourceed online without the need to travel.

    • China has always been like that. It sends people with HIV/AIDS and does not hesitate to do so. I doubt if the Chinese President is telling the truth here that he will look into the matter.

    • It’s the norm in the Middle East, HIV, TB, Hepatitis etc, you will be deported back.. Note that this apply only to Residency visa holders & people seeking jobs. Tourists Visas, No they don’t check HIV or Ebola, because it is considered short stay (all are welcome).

    • I have never heard of any businessman been sent back? When exactly do they do these tests? I have been to china several times & not even a single time have i been subjected to testing or later on being asked about my health status, If anybody knows or has been through this kind of procedure. please enlighten me.

    • @dontcare, I totally agree with you! Its a matter of national policy like it was in the US until a few years ago! EL is behaving like an Eldorado believing what is not true! It’s like telling Indonesian government not to execute a drug pusher when the law or policy is set!

  1. Are travelers and businessmen tested for HIV before they leave for China or upon arrival? How do they know who is sick? This is discrimination and its not right. I thought the stigma of HIV/AIDS was being dealt with. Please enlighten me.

    • Come to China and find out. China has very strict immigration laws. One you arrive in China, you undergo medical tests and the most important test being HIV test. You only stay in China at most 5 fives waiting for your medical test results. If they are not good, you go back home.

    • @ati wanzelu chikopo. You are a lier. I lived in China for five years and never went through that. Even visiting China once or twices every two years I have never gone through a medical test on arrival. Who are these people that have been deported that the president is talking about? Please enlighten us.

  2. THIS IS NOT TRUE BECUASE A BUNCH OF THESE GUYS WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE ALLOWED TO STEP FOOT AT BEIJING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

    • Don’t just yap for the sake of yapping. What the president is saying is the truth. I am currently in China and we had to undergo those tests. China is very strict. Even moving from one town to another, you have to register at the local police station every time you reach. Medical tests are conducted every year for students my friend. It is not a joke. You come and experieince it for yourself.

    • @wanzelu chikopo. Another lie my brother. Which China are you talking about? You live in Canada and maybe you have never been to China and want to paint that country bad because of western propaganda that you have to report to police to travel from one town to another? You lie man. I live in China and never experienced that. Hey people who are currently in China, have things changed now? Please enlighten us.

  3. Yaba this is embarrassing indeed……but it becoming common in most countries….each country is trying to contain its epidemic as its costly exercise just beware and don’t feel marginalized…Most scholarships come with such per-condition too….. South Africa in Cuba were equally returns after been found HIV positive

    • I understand the pain of those leaving with HIV and did not get it through loose conduct.However i must say any development requires strong principles and China is such a country,with strong principles on Corruption and other moral issues.Its also good for Zambians to understand that strong principles pay.China had a painful family control plan for a long period and it has paid off.China embarked on a painful economic recovery plan now they ripping.Zambians if they have to see anything good they should be ready to sacrifice and work hard with a lot of discipline to achieve any economic growth and reduction of HIV rates.We should not feel proud of Hiv/AIDs,but fight it and reduce it in our societies as it impacts negatively on society.That being said is not to mean we should discriminate.

  4. The should have sent back Vodka so that he can set an example. Nonsense!!

    On one hand they preach NO discrimination and on the other hand they are the chief perpetrators of discrimination coupled with victimisation. ABASH CHINA!!

    What has happened to the slogan that if you are not infected then you are affected?

  5. Double standards, you don’t want SARS or Ebola on your door step but you want to export your illnesses in the name of doing business or studying? I thought before a visa is issued, people are subjected to medical tests? Unless they are being sent back after contracting the illness in China?

  6. Mantis looks like he means business in this picture, shame about article associated with the picture. I’m beginning to have faith, keep it up.

    • Most Asian countries do this. India also does the same. In the early 2000s, they sent backa sent Zambian Dr. who had gone for his studies. He did not even complete. He was found HIV+ while studying. He was sent back home. China has been doing this since time immemorial

  7. This has been going on for a long time now, and just wondering why the government is knowing this now. The Zambian officials at the Embassy must have been sleeping. People must realise that China is highly populated nation hence the one child policy. Given this scenario, if HIV became wide spread in china a lot of people will be affected. Any way this is not to suggest that people living with the virus must be discriminated against. I find China playing double standards here because Chinese are travelling all over Africa including to countries with HIV prevalence; and the Chinese have sex with local in these countries. Does the Chinese government test its citizen for HIV upon return from high prevalence countries? What does the Chinese government do to its citizens living with HIV?

  8. Under 5 would be sent back because of sleeping sickness which is prevalent in cattle and transmitted by mosquitos

  9. This is total discrimination and stigmatisation. Where do they deport the HIV positive chinese? They always take africans for granted. Internationally, this is a breach of human right concerning the sick. Fight for it EL.

  10. na ma zambiana chabe its like chigololo chili mu va kudya. Am sure the chi ese are tired of this behaviour from zambians. Nigerians are just very shady people and the dont spend their extra time on sex.

  11. There are 31 countries that depot foreigners who test positive for HIV and another 35 Countries that discriminate against HIV positive people. Most of these are closely associated with discrimination against Africans and non-African hom os exuals. These are:
    Australia, New Zealand, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Caiman Islands, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Israel, China, etc.
    The USA only lifted its ban in 2010, thanks to a forward thinking and intelligent President.

    • Unless things have changed now, Australia doesn’t do that any more. HIV test is no longer mandatory for the award of an Australian Scholarship. Australia has very strong anti-discrimination laws.

    • @manu4life
      ‘All applicants for permanent visas, including the main applicant, partner and any dependants, must be assessed against the health requirement. Even if the applicant’s partner and dependants are not included in the visa application, they must still be assessed against the health requirement.
      Applicants for a permanent visa will be asked to undergo a medical examination, an x-ray if 11 years of age or older and an HIV/AIDS test if 15 years of age or older, as well as any additional tests requested by the Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC).’
      immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/22health.htm#b

  12. Even Germany does the same. You can be awarded a scholarship but if you test positive for kanyoni, you won’t be allowed to go. Then when u arrive, they do more rigorous tests.

    In the 1980’s, we should have used the same tactics when HIV came from the Whites coming from Sweden, USA, UK we would not have had this epidemic.

  13. Even here in Zambia you can’t be given a scholarship to go and study in Russia or anywhere if found with HIV. So why not first address this here at home instead of yapping in China?

  14. i am sure most of these chinese guys sent here are sick,most of them are either convicts,ex convicts and societies worst characters. that is why they insist on unprotected sex with our women, its not about pleasure but they know they are sick already.

    why dont we screen them here? Chiwamila galu kuluma Mbuzi not mbuzi kuluma Galu!!!!!!!!

  15. useless GRZ or useless reporting, you don’t even know how many Zambians are living in China ????
    Why are Zambians so afraid of quoting figures ???

  16. ATI even Botswana are doing the same,if there is a rotten country interms of daylight ubuule activities is Botswana and aids is more than it is in Zambia,waumfwa!

  17. Well if that is true, Zambians must wake up otherwise the treatment is just inhumane to say the least. I know some countries like Canada who actually ask for a medical report when applying for the visa and if you are HIV positive, they reject you on that ground. But with the influx of Chinese people in the country and then they treat Zambians like that, we must do something to deter them access to our resources. If they cannot accept HIV positive in their country, then they must not even dare step in our country, otherwise we will start sending them back by force too!

  18. The best way to show them that we are not happy with this policy is by boycotting such forums, EL should have boycotted this trip just to show them how unhappy we are, but you know how corrupt our leaders are, they can not turn anything down that brings in money for themselves.

    • He was informed when he got there , in any case the chinese are deporting those who get infected while in that country.

      Why not ,it means you are giving and getting everywhere.

  19. I think they should also send Edgar Lungu back to Zambia.

    He is infected by First Grade HIV/AIDS which he acquired in Chainama-Chabipa Compound where he was an MP.

  20. PA ZAMBIA NOPO UBUPUBA TABUPWA!
    EDGAR IS HIV POSITIVE COMFIRMED BY SOUTH AFRICAN DOCTORS. WHY ASKING SOMEONE IF EDGAR WAS INFECTED BY HIS OR HER MOTHER? CALL A SPADE AS A SPADE, JUST SIMPLE. MWALEKANA AT TEMULWELE UNTIL ACHITA COLLAPS ELO MWASUMINA, MWABEPESHA NA MALARIA. UBUSHILU FYE BWEKA BWEKA.

  21. Now there is a President that has the guts to take on issues without fear or favor. He is talking about discrimination of countrymen in foreign countries. Instead of applauding this, simple minds are busy insulting the president – all because they do not like him. Sorry, you will be consumed by your hatred.

  22. Zambia should also specify the minimum height of anyone coming from China to 1.75m tall. Any chinese below this minimum height must be deported.

  23. Zambians are just dull people and that is evident by your very own stupid/drunk president. How can he visit a country and be informed that his citizens are being deported because they have HIV and take the issue lightly? iwe Lungu udwala chani?

    This issue if true is a serious matter and Lungu himself must be HIV positive for him to take this issue like its a joke.

    Let’s be serious as Zambian by demanding that the Chinese or any other group of none-Zambians should also be screened before being admitted into Zambia for any communicable diseases including HIV.

    Even our vima so-called embassies are useless full of nothing but f*%$king drunkards. That’s why I have no respect for any of these fools. The day I get a chance to leave Zambian you will never see me come back to this hell.

  24. Wel it haz bin unfortunate for zambians to undergo such segregation in a country like china, in which they v bin havin gud relations btn thmselves.it z inded human to b positive,ok if it z done the oposite hw wil it b for chinese pipo in zambia.if de mata z solved favourably den wel n gud for de the two parties

  25. @MALEFICIENT truth of the matter is you never know how many of those awarded scholarships and student visas to study in Australia are HIV positive or not, what you have pasted is talking about permanent visas and I talked about scholarships and student visas.

  26. This HIV/AIDS issue in China shows how inhuman they can be. First of all HIV is like any other diseases in the world. Nothing can control it even if they impose a travel ban to infected foreigners. They should have an awareness campaign to educate their people on HIV and stigma is not a way of controlling a disease. Its funny because if we are to tress back this pandemic actually started in those Overseas countries…now that they have spread it all round the world they have an audacity to say…we are now imposing a travel ban to the infected foreigners.

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