in Wuhan, many expats have not regained their pre-lockdown lives

In his apartment in the suburbs of Wuhan, Yann, in his fifties, is currently without work and without income. Before the Covid-19 epidemic, the French hairdresser, who arrived in China in 2016, nevertheless had a flourishing activity in Wuhan with a salon with a clientele composed mainly of French people working in the Peugeot factory. But the containment came suddenly to put an end to its activities.

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On January 23, 2020, 13 million people were completely confined to Wuhan in just a few hours to stop the spread of Covid-19. Two years later, the inhabitants have returned to an almost normal life, but the scars have not healed for everyone, especially for the expatriate community. Whether they are Africans, Europeans or Americans, the epidemic has turned their lives upside down and some are still entangled in difficulties.

Repatriated to France, Yann had to wait two years to get his visa back. He was only able to return to China a few weeks ago. His hairdressing salon no longer exists and he now has to start from scratch: find premises and new customers. “The foreign clientele has decreased by 70%, says Yann. Now we’re going to switch to the other side. I have to remember that I have 70% Chinese customers and 30% foreign customers.”

“When you decide to come to China, you always have to have a positive approach. You have to accept that it’s not easy and that it takes time.”

Yann, hairdresser

at franceinfo

Yann’s case is far from isolated. Many expatriates have, like him, lost their business due to confinement. Precariousness is a new phenomenon among expatriates. “There is no Chinese aid, explains Françoise Onillon, consular adviser for French nationals. The aid we can get is that of France, like scholarships for children at school, but that’s all. We have no food aid. “

Thony still has his job. This 27-year-old Congolese runs a trading company with six employees. Thony lives comfortably, but the epidemic has turned her life upside down. Due to China’s closed borders, he has never seen his African-born son.

“We try to wake up every day and we tell ourselves that it’s going to be fine. But then, in the end, it affects us a lot. I haven’t seen my child yet, that’s what hurts the most. ” Like Thony, many expatriate business leaders hesitate to make the trip to see their family in Europe or Africa. With the borders closed, they know that returning to China will be complicated and that their business in Wuhan risks disappearing.