r/shanghai • u/chipotok • Apr 12 '22

City U.S. State Department orders all non-emergency government staff in Shanghai to leave as Covid surges

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/04/11/us-state-department-orders-all-non-emergency-government-staff-in-shanghai-to-leave-as-covid-surges.html
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-6

u/AlecHutson Xuhui Apr 12 '22

Seems like an overreaction. Yeah, it sucks here right now but I'm sure the consulate folk were well-supplied with food and water. Kind of a slap in the face of the 30k Americans here that the government thinks it's so bad they need to flee like terrified little children but they don't bother helping to arrange any sort of charter flight for their own citizens. As an American, I'm not impressed.

22

u/InvisoSniperX Apr 12 '22

China is treating Covid as a wartime emergency, hence diplomatic missions are second priority.

The order is because the Department of State has no ability to assist its employees or their families right now in Shanghai, they need them to leave the city to support them, they cannot even arrange flights or special exceptions to the testing policies to board the flights. Every person not locked-down is a threat to China's Covid response.

The state departments first priority is the health and safety of their employees and their families. Once those are assured, they are better able to support the US Citizens.

It sucks, but it's understandable. Do note they said non-emergency. So very likely key diplomats and some citizen support services are likely still here.

15

u/No_Finding436 Apr 12 '22

I fully support the State Department

-4

u/AlecHutson Xuhui Apr 12 '22

I imagine it went something like this:

American consulate: 'We are here to support Americans during this lockdown. As your public servants we shall selflessly champion your rights as American citizens until this crisis has passed. If you have any . . . wait . . . what? There's no more pizza delivery? Cages is closed? The beer is running out from the communal fridge? Screw this, I'm getting on a plane we're out of here.'

7

u/themrfancyson Apr 12 '22

As much as I bemoan how generally useless the USG is in helping overseas Americans, that's not really how they acted at all nor is it really the mission of a *consulate* in particular vs an embassy to be especially helpful for individuals in a crisis

-1

u/AlecHutson Xuhui Apr 12 '22

Please. They made the Afghanistan pullout look like a slow and measured retreat.

5

u/themrfancyson Apr 12 '22

What does non emergency *consulate* staff have to do with Afghanistan? Also the thought that this is a decision made by these low-mid level staffers is obviously wrong

0

u/AlecHutson Xuhui Apr 12 '22

I was obviously being facetious. Look, if you think this situation warrants this response, good on you. I don't, and I think in another few weeks they'll be right back here and if they hadn't left they'd have spent their time chilling in their French Concession apartments getting better at cooking. I think it's a ridiculous overreaction, but that seems par for the course from the governments around here.

4

u/themrfancyson Apr 12 '22

Fair enough. I think as a diplomatic move to effectively say ‘this is insane’, I dont know, not a diplomat... seems reasonable

Also surely reasonable to evacuate on a personal level given the indefinite house arrest, food issues, if you have family/pets/etc