China offers $700 for catching border crossers

Authorities say this is to step up prevention and control work against imported cases in the province. Pic/AFP

A northeast China province is offering cash rewards of up to 5,000 yuan ($700) for help in catching people who illegally cross the Russian border after a flood of imported Coronavirus cases. As of Monday, China has reported a total of 1,464 imported cases of which 905 are still undergoing treatment.

Weeks after it drastically cut international flights and banned entry to foreigners to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus crisis, China is still struggling to contain a spike in imported cases.

Most of the new infections have been in Chinese citizens returning home. A new front has emerged in Heilongjiang province, which on Tuesday reported 79 new cases in arrivals from neighbouring Russia, taking its total of imported infections to 326. Provincial authorities said on Monday that people who report illegal border crossings will receive a 3,000-yuan reward. "If the citizen captures and hands over (offenders) to relevant departments, there will be a one-off reward of 5,000 yuan," the virus prevention and control working group said.

McD apologises after store in China bans Africans

US chain McDonald's has apologised after a sign telling black people they were banned from entering a branch in southern China prompted outrage online, following reports of discriminatory treatment towards Africans in the city. A McDonald's spokesman told AFP that the notice was "not representative of our inclusive values". It said it removed the sign and temporarily closed the restaurant.

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