Shenzhen helps foreign residents in virus battle

The city of Shenzhen is offering various services to the more than 30,000 foreign residents in the fight against the novel coronavirus, an official of the foreign affairs office said on Wednesday.

The foreigners are mostly from Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, India and the United Kingdom. They are being given information in multiple languages, including Japanese, Korean and English, on the latest developments in the epidemic as well as prevention methods, social assistance channels and designated clinic addresses.

"The municipal foreign affairs office cooperated with other government departments to produce a Q&A list, answering foreigners' questions about immigration policy and wage protection methods during the epidemic," said Cai Ying, chief of the Shenzhen foreign affairs office.

The office also mobilized scholars from universities to set up volunteer teams of foreigners. Exclusive hotlines for foreigners have also been put in use.

Since Jan 22, the Shekou overseas personnel management service center in Nanshan district has put more than 200 pieces of information on the internet about the epidemic that are accessible by about 1,500 foreign residents.

The center's staff is in close contact with two communities, home to 1,000 foreign residents, and more than 30 WeChat groups involving a total of 3,000 foreigners, so it can respond to issues of the foreign residents.

"Thank you for the government's attention to us, thank you for your timely information, thank you very much! I believe that China will get through the difficulties soon," a foreigner named Emily commented about the center's services in a WeChat group.