China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again voiced its hope that the United States will take “concrete” measures against racial discrimination.

“We hope the US government will take concrete measures to fulfil its obligations under the international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination to protect the legal rights of minorities,” Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said Wednesday

China “always opposes racial discrimination,” Zhao told a regular Ministry of Foreign Affairs press briefing.

Traditionally, Beijing has portrayed racism as a Western problem. But China itself has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks for its treatment of Africans in the country.

Last month, many Africans were subject to forced coronavirus testing and arbitrary 14-day self-quarantine in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, regardless of their recent travel history, and scores were left homeless after being evicted by landlords and rejected by hotels under the guise of various virus containment measures.

The incident caused a rupture in China-Africa relations, with the foreign ministries of several African nations — and even the African Union — demanding answers from China.

Yet China’s official response stopped short of admitting that discrimination took place — or apologizing for it.

China has also faced criticism over its treatment of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. The United States was among 23 nations to issue a joint statement at the United Nations General Assembly last year raising concerns over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.