No discrimination against Hubei people

As the number of novel coronavirus infections continues to drop nationwide, this nation of 1.4 billion needs to get back to normal.

But lingering fear about a potential rebound in infections is proving to be an outstanding obstacle, especially when it comes to workers from Hubei province seeking employment elsewhere.

Local governments must set fine examples by saying no to any form of region-based discrimination.

At two high-profile meetings, authorities in Beijing urged authorities in low-risk areas to reopen cross-regional flows of people and goods, and Hubei to arrange sending workers back to their places of work in a "point to point" and "one stop" manner.

After an eight-week pause, which has seen factories shut, workers dismissed, stores closed, and people stranded at home across the country, life, work and production need to get back to their normal as soon as possible.

Working families, especially those on transient jobs and incomes, need to get back to work to keep things going. Factories, which have suspended production amid the large-scale lockdowns, need to resume operations to stay afloat. Numerous otherwise vigorous service providers need to reopen to escape bankruptcy.

Hubei has reported zero new infections since March 18. It's been the case for more than a dozen days in the 16 cities and prefectures except Wuhan.

As most of the country's major manufacturing hubs are crying out for workers, Hubei, a main source of labor supply that sees around 6 million people work outside their home province each year, is ready to help.

As they organize labor exports, authorities in Hubei have also repeatedly pleaded to the rest of the country to support and be nice to local people seeking employment away from home.

Still we have witnessed busloads of them being denied access to Shanghai and asked to go back. Shanghai has yet to downgrade its epidemic response alert, they were told.

If that is true, it is a reminder of the need for greater cross-region coordination.

It would be unacceptable if, like in similar recent cases in other places, any area-based discrimination is involved.

Many in China have been angry about their countrypeople being discriminated against by unsympathetic foreigners.

At home, however, people are treating their compatriots from Hubei, the foremost victims in the havoc, like they are the virus. This too should not be condoned. Not everyone from that place should be punished, even a few are thought to have been at fault. Those in Hubei have suffered the most from the outbreak, they need empathy and sympathy, not vilification.