Rallying against disease of racism

The public should join hands not only to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic, but also to battle racism, said Xue Feiyang, a 22-year-old Chinese student in the United Kingdom.

Now studying at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Xue and her fellow Chinese students have been organizing campaigns in London to oppose racism sparked by fears of the virus.

More than two months ago, before the epidemic escalated around the world, the Chinese students started rallying to support their communities back home. In February, a group of students from Shaanxi province studying at the LSE, including Xue, sent more than 10,000 masks to hospitals in Xi'an, the provincial capital.

"I've never felt such a strong sense of patriotism and solidarity before," Xue told the online Vision China event, adding she feels a closer bond with the world and a great sense of gratitude to medical and service workers.

However, at the same time, Xue said she had a sense of powerlessness. Being far from her hometown, there was nothing much she could do apart from sending limited supplies. Adding to her frustration was the rise in racism against Chinese people.

Xue observed in her daily life and read reports of verbal and physical assaults on Chinese and other Asians, even in universities.

Unwilling to stand by, she and several friends started the "Chinese against racist virus" campaign. They established a Facebook group and an Instagram account, organized a workshop to discuss the issue, and devised slogans, posters, banners and stickers to support the campaign.

The group organized a rally in London's Trafalgar Square, where they waved banners and wore masks emblazoned with "Racism is a virus", chanted anti-racism slogans and gave speeches. The rally attracted hundreds of people, including activist groups and media outlets.

Xue said that she was particularly impressed by one speech from a London resident appealing for humanity, compassion and fair play in stopping racism against East Asian people.

A Korean friend of hers remarked after the event that the rally was meaningful in raising awareness and making the world a better place."I think we have every reason to hope that the world will become a safer place in which people are treated equally, as humans and not a virus,"Xue said.

Xue has been filming documentaries with British university students about Chinese people living abroad and the efforts they have made in fighting the virus. The group is also compiling a list of news and academic articles related to racism fueled by the disease.

Xue said she has also been supporting the UK's battle against the virus by donating to the National Health Service and volunteering to assist those in quarantine."It may take some time to conquer the pandemic, but whenever that day comes I hope that one lesson many people will have learned is that we all have the right－regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or any other social or personal characteristics－to be treated with dignity and respect," Xue said.