Howick Councillor Paul Young has been subjected to racist taunts himself during his political career.

A councillor is pushing back against racist comments being directed at the Chinese community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Paul Young, Auckland's first councillor of Chinese descent, said he was disappointed to see xenophobia from people during the lockdown.

His comments come in the wake of a social media post by a gym owner, blaming China for the shutdown of her business, the lockdown and her cancelled travel arrangements to to Russia and Romania.

Felicia Alkin, the owner of Lioness – The Gym for Women at Highland Park in east Auckland, made the comments on her Facebook page last Thursday.

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Her post went on to say she will "never buy anything from China".

Alkin defended her post when Stuff contacted her, saying it was her opinion and saw nothing wrong with it.

"It's nothing related to racism," she said.

"It's my own preference, from today onwards, I won't be buying anything made in China again."

Alkin deleted her original post the same day but added another saying she had worked hard to set up her business and "coronavirus comes around, from China to lockdown my business".

She later told Stuff her posts were about the Chinese government, not Chinese citizens.

Young, a councillor for the Howick ward, where Alkin's gym is, labelled her social media rants disappointing.

The fight against the virus was global, he said.

"The virus does not discriminate against ethnicity and we need to work together with compassion and kindness," Young said.

CHRIS SKELTON/STUFF Race Relations Commissioner Men Foon says people need to be kind during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need to look out for each other and for our most vulnerable members of society."

Human Rights Commission's race relations commissioner Meng Foon said reports of anti-Chinese and anti-Asian sentiments because of Covid-19 are disappointing.

The commission had urged Kiwis not be racist and xenophobic earlier in March.

"Generally speaking, I sense that many people are genuinely frustrated and anxious because of Covid-19 but I have always said that our fears should not turn into racism or xenophobia," Foon said.

The Human Rights Commission has received 28 related complaints and enquiries related to Covid-19 since March 3.

Foon said half of them came from people expressing general concern and the other half from people, mainly Chinese people, who have had racist comments made to them.

He said he understood everyone, including small business owners and parents, were doing it tough during the lockdown but all New Zealanders from all ethnicities were trying to deal with the uncertainty together.

"I encourage all people to be kind, sensible and safe in their interactions. We are in unprecedented times and we all need to do our best."

He encouraged anyone who felt discriminated against on the basis of race, colour, ethnic, national origins or disability to make a complaint to the commission through their website.

"My consistent call to action for New Zealanders has always been to 'be kind'."